'Cut emissions or face fines' warning to industry
The country’s biggest carbon dioxide polluters were warned today to cut emissions or face bigger fines.
In a bid to encourage cleaner power plants and pressurise industries to help meet Kyoto targets, the Environmental Protection Agency is to ask for CO2 levels to be reduced.
In its draft second National Allocation Plan for Emissions Trading, the EPA will allow 115 million tonnes of the greenhouse gas to be emitted between 2008 and 2012. Any business that goes outside its limits will be hit with fines of €100 a tonne.
Under the Kyoto protocol, there is cap on the amount of carbon dioxide the state’s top 100 Irish industries emit.
Dr Mary Kelly, EPA director general, said the increasingly important role of renewables in electricity generation was now being taken into account.
“In this regard, the EPA is proposing to continue our approach in the first National Allocation Plan by setting aside dedicated emissions allowances designed to promote Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facilities in the power generation sector,” she said.
“CHP is a highly-efficient technology for energy production and one in which Ireland lags behind many of our EU partners.”
Under the Emissions Trading Directive companies are issued with a cap on the amount of CO2 they can emit in any year. Companies with emissions above the cap must either cut back their emissions or purchase allowances to meet their requirements, while companies whose emissions are below the cap may trade their excess.
The new allocations will be based on the historical production of CO2 – the main cause of climate change – by companies over recent years. Around 5% of the total will be kept for new firms not already covered by the scheme.
Dr Ken Macken, EPA programme manager, said it was the most cost effective way to meet the Kyoto targets.
But the Green Party called on the Government to take tougher action on the country’s main polluters in order to meet the Kyoto protocol.
The party’s environment spokesman Ciaran Cuffe TD said: “There just isn’t enough incentive out there to reduce emissions.
“Kyoto is only a stepping stone towards reducing climate change emissions. Further reductions will be necessary.
“Ireland is still third last out of twenty-three European countries in meeting our targets under Kyoto. However we’re still building motorways and urban sprawl as if climate change doesn’t exist, and as if the oil will last forever.”
Mr Cuffe said there needed to be a clear change of policy in favour of clean industries that enter the market-place.
Irish emissions for 2004 were 23% above 1990 levels, as against our agreed Kyoto target of 13% above.
While the EPA has reported that this is down from 27% in 2001, we still have a greater distance to meet the target than many of our EU neighbours.
A consultation process on the EPA’s draft plan has now begun and will run until June 12.
