Climate change Bill to be published next week

THE CLIMATE change Bill would be published next week, Minister for the Environment John Gormley told the Dáil.

He said he hoped that when it came before the Dáil in January, the Opposition would facilitate its early passage.

“The structure of the Bill provides a strong legislative framework for a core objective on transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable society.”

He said there was a short-term target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 2.5 per cent annually by 2020 compared to 2008 emissions.

There was a medium-term target to reduce emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 and a long-term target of 80 per cent by 2050, compared to 1990 emissions.

Mr Gormley, who was speaking during a debate on the carbon budget, said a national mitigation plan would set out Government policies and measures in respect of mitigation and there would also be a national adaptation plan.

An annual transition statement would provide accountability to the Oireachtas.

Mr Gormley said there would be public consultation on the various processes provided for in the Bill, while obligations would be placed on public bodies regarding climate mitigation and adaptation.

The Bill, he said, contained provision to ensure that commercial issues, competitiveness and economic growth were central to the measures tackling climate change.

“I am acutely aware of particular concerns in the agricultural sector, but I believe the Bill poses absolutely no threat to the sustainable future of agriculture in Ireland.”

It should be noted, he said, that agriculture had already delivered substantial reductions in emissions without impacting on the profitability or dynamism which currently marked the sector.

He believed the checks and balances in the Bill, combined with the work of Ireland’s negotiators and scientific advisers, would ensure that Ireland could meet the commitments contained in the legislation while ensuring Ireland’s agriculture sector could continue to thrive and deliver high quality, sustainable food.

He said during international negotiations, Ireland had been to the fore in pressing, with a considerable degree of success, to ensure adequate consideration of agriculture issues. A substantial amount of Government funding had been put into research at Irish institutions to develop farming practices and technology which helped reduce agriculture emissions.