Roche speaks of 'huge moral imperative'

Irish reaction:The IPCC report created a "huge moral imperative" on all the developed world to follow the lead of the EU in dealing with climate change, Minister for Environment Dick Roche said yesterday.

According to the Minister, the report clearly showed the poorest and most vulnerable people in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa and Bangladesh would be the first to suffer from climate change.

In this regard the "flexible mechanism" that allowed EU states to buy carbon credits from the developing world had a double benefit: it allowed member states to set more ambitious targets for their own industries, while providing money for the developing world.

This money would incentivise vulnerable economies not to take in older "dirty technology" industries.

But he said economies such at the US were doing nothing to stop this "displacement" of dirty technology to the developing world. He predicted that after the next US election there would be a completely different attitude to climate change and that yesterday's "chastening report will help in that process".

In relation to Ireland, Mr Roche said domestic policies were handling 80 per cent of our climate change strategy, while the remaining 20 per cent was represented by carbon credits. The money paid for the credits was being administered by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, which would ensure oversight of investment in the developing world.

However, non-governmental environmental organisations have called on voters to demand political action from candidates in the general election.

Pat Finnegan of the environmental group Grian (Greenhouse Ireland Action Network), who was in Brussels for the launch of the report, said it "just confirms yet again that postponing strong, concentrated and coherent action against climate change is no longer an option for Ireland.

"People now becoming concerned should insist on Irish action on climate change as being at the very top of the list of things to do for the next government," he added.

The Green Party described the report as a wake-up call for politicians and voters in the forthcoming election. Green Party environment spokesman Ciarán Cuffe said the "Government seems incapable of making the changes that are required".

He added: "Voters should ask candidates their proposals on climate change."