A COMMITMENT by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan that the heads of a Climate Change Bill would be introduced before the end of next year has been welcomed by the Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
Committee chairman Ciarán Lynch TD (Labour) said: “We are heartened by the Minister’s commitment . . . to provide a road map for the introduction of climate change legislation and welcome his pledge to introduce the Heads of the Climate Change Bill by the end of 2012.”
He said the road map would provide “clear and measurable goals” to enable Ireland to meet EU targets for a 20 per cent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. “The Minister’s commitment is a major step forward in this country’s efforts . . . to combat climate change.”
Mr Lynch said the Minister’s appearance before the committee on Thursday led to a “very frank, useful and engaging meeting” and its members would continue to work with the Minister “in helping to formulate policy on this very important issue”.
In his presentation, Mr Hogan outlined details of the agreement reached at the UN climate change conference in Durban last weekend, including a “second commitment period” of the Kyoto Protocol, which would run from January 1st, 2013, when the current period expires.
The Minister highlighted the need for more “joined-up thinking” on climate change and agriculture at EU level and among certain ministers from developing countries who he met in Durban, saying agriculture and food security were “key issues for people in the developing world”.
He noted that the outcome of the Durban conference included a decision to consider issues related to agriculture, with the aim of exchanging views among parties and adopting a decision at the next UN climate change conference in Qatar at the end of 2012.
