The importance of environmental issues in the national political debate moved up another ratchet with yesterday's publication of the Government policy document, Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Ireland. Inevitably, it will be seen as a pre-election pitch for the `green' vote since the Greens enjoyed their sweeping success in the 1994 European election, all the mainstream parties have been careful to nurture environmental concerns. Indeed, earlier this month the Fianna Fail party published a thoughtful and lucid manifesto on the environment.
In fairness, the Sustainable Development document is not primarily an attempt to steal the Opposition's thunder a commitment to publish an all embracing policy document on the environment was first made in the 1994 Programme for Government. The report which has now emerged after lengthy consultations between the Department of the Environment and other Government departments could scarcely be more ambitious it seeks to integrate environmental concerns into all aspects of public policy. The Government is working towards a sustainable development that "will meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
It can, and no doubt will, be criticised for being long on aspirations and short on specific commitments. There is some merit in this criticism but it obscures the central importance of this document for the first time Government has sought to bring environmental concerns out of the margins. The establishment of the National Sustainable Development Council is nothing less than an attempt to bring these concerns into every level of decision making in such areas as agriculture, industry, forestry, tourism and energy.
There are some very worthwhile objectives the commitment to limit the growth in total carbon dioxide emissions up to the year 2010 to 15 per cent above 1990 levels should have a major impact on energy consumption. The decision to target a 10 per cent reduction in the application of artificial phosphorus fertilisers is also welcome the misuse of these fertilisers has affected land quality and damaged many lakes and rivers.
But there are also some disappointing features in the document. There is, clearly, a contradiction between the Government's support for industrial development that is environmentally sound and the commitment in Partnership 2000 to provide foreign investment with `fast-track' planning and `ready-to-use factories. It is also regrettable that the Government is continuing to fight shy of the kind of `green taxes' which already form an integral part of fiscal policy in many EU countries. And there is little evidence of a coherent and radical plan to reduce the traffic flow in Dublin.
That said, this document is a welcome starting point towards a public policy that is more caring and more responsible towards the environment. It also provides a framework that can help this State to reconcile the often conflicting demands of economic growth and environmental protection.