Irish Regions Office Website

June 03, 2009

Greenhouse emissions - falling but unevenly

A European Environment Agency inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU in 2007 shows a year-on-year drop for the third consecutive year, 1.2% overall in this case (1.6% in the EU15). This achievement, which coincided with a sustained period of economic growth, brings these emissions to 12.5% below their levels in 1990 and sets the EU well on its way to meeting its Kyoto Protocol target of an 8% reduction (by reference to the base year) for 2008-2012.

Despite this progress, Ireland has been calculated as being among the poorest of EU15 performers since 1990 with a GHG rise 11.5% above the additional 13% emissions increase what was permitted by the national 2008-2012 Kyoto commitments. Only Spain, which has exceeded its own allowed 15% increase by a further 37.6%, faces significantly greater challenges in reining in its excesses while, at another level, Denmark and Austria have, as yet, been slow to fulfill their scheduled reductions.

On a related matter, Geraldine Tallon, Secretary General of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government, briefed the Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Scrutiny on 23 May on the most imminent EU environment developments. In regard to the implementation of the elements of last December's climate and energy package to reduce GHGs by 20% on 1990 levels, the Department is devoting its attention to continued work on measures to reduce domestic emissions supported by the use of flexible mechanisms. The key areas of focus for the foreseeable future are the revision of the emissions trading directive (with the system set to be administered by the European Commission from 2012); the effort sharing decision on emissions from sectors beyond the trading system; and the new regulation on CO2 emissions from cars.

EEA Report
Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Scrutiny

Posted by iroronan at June 3, 2009 02:22 PM