The Government has published a framework for a Climate Change Bill as a cornerstone of the third carbon budget, which was announced by Minister for Enviroment John Gormley in the Dáil this morning.
Mr Gormley said the legislation will result in a new statutory requirement to reduce emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, compared to 1990 levels. It will also set up a new climate change office within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a new expert climate change committee with a powerful advisory role.
However, it also emerged this morning that the reduction in greenhouse emissions due to the recession is not happening as quickly as anticipated.
Figures produced for the carbon budget by the EPA record a decrease of only 1 per cent in emissions in 2008 over 2007. This falls well short of the Programme for Government target of a 3 per cent annual reduction.
The slight overall fall is due to a marked increase in emissions in the residential sector in 2008 compared to 2007. This was attributed to a colder winter last year.
The Minister pointed out in his speech to the Dail that transport emissions had fallen by 1 per cent, the first fall in this sector since 1994. The modest fall was partly due to the changes in Vehicle Registration Tax and motor tax but also due to lower vehicle sales and use of transport as a result of the economic contraction.
Mr Gormley contended that the tax changes for vehicles had resulted in a major change of purchasing pattern. Some 83 per cent of new cars are within the three lowest-emitting bands. Emissions from new cars has on average fallen by 12 per cent from 164 grammes of CO2 to 143 grammes of CO2.
Referring to the framework for the Bill, Mr Gormley said: “This legislation marks a key milestone in the battle against climate change and the legislative proposals contained in the document will shape and drive our efforts in tackling this core national priority.”
The key policies that will be enshrined in the legislation are that the 3 per cent annual reduction in emissions will continue until 2020 and an 80 per cent reductions on 1990 emissions will be the target for 2050.
The new legislation will also put the climate change strategy on a statutory footing, as will the annual carbon budget.
The carbon budget was introduced by the Fianna Fail-Green coalition in 2007. Announced by the Minister for the Environment, it provides figures for the overall emissions for the previous year, sets targets for the forthcoming year and also sets out the measures that will be adopted to reach the targets.
Mr Gormley described the carbon levy announced by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan as the second cornerstone of the carbon budget. He said it had the potential to reduce emissions by up to 250,000 tonnes each year.
Fine Gael’s environment spokesman Phil Hogan said the 3 per cent target was clearly not being met.
“It’s not being extended until 2020 to cover some blushes. The climate change agenda should be an opportunity for the country.”