This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DUBLIN 001528 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EI EPA
SUBJECT: IRELAND UNLIKELY TO MEET KYOTO TARGET BUT 
CONTINUES TO PURSUE ENVIRONMENTAL REFORMS 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Ireland is unlikely to meet its Kyoto Protocol 
emission-reduction target, according to a GOI official and 
the European Environment Agency (EEA) but continues to pursue 
international and domestic policies in an attempt to narrow 
the gap to their targets.  Recent figures show that Ireland 
is 12 percentage points above its Protocol target and project 
this gap to grow to 13.5 points within the next five years. 
Among EU-15 states Ireland is second highest in per capita 
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and third highest per GDP. 
While meeting the Protocol target is not expected, Ireland is 
planning to participate actively in the EU Emissions Trading 
Scheme, the Protocol's Joint Implementation (JI) and Clean 
Development Mechanism (CDM) programs, as well as 
implementation of domestic policies outlined in the National 
Climate Change Strategy (NCCS).  In recent years Ireland's 
economy and population have grown significantly, posing a 
challenge to the country's realistic ability to meet its 
Protocol targets.  End Summary. 
 
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GHG EMISSIONS: IRELAND SHOWS IMPROVEMENT 
BUT REMAINS AMONG WORST IN EU 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Ireland is unlikely to meet its Kyoto Protocol 
emission-reduction target, Emboffs were told on December 5 by 
Frank Maughan, Assistant Principal Officer in the Air/Climate 
Section of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and 
Local Government.  Under the Protocol, said Maughan, Ireland 
agreed to reduce emissions to 13 percent over 1990 levels by 
the end of the first commitment period of 2008-2012.  This 
would involve limiting the annual production of carbon 
dioxide (CO2) to 60.4 million tonnes (MtCO2) by 2012. In 
2001, Ireland's emission levels reached 31 percent above 1990 
levels, and in 2003 these levels decreased to 25 percent over 
the 1990 figure.  According to European Environment Agency 
(EEA), Ireland is nevertheless one of five European Union 
(EU) countries most likely not to meet its Kyoto Protocol 
target even with existing emission-reduction mechanisms in 
place.  Maughan stressed, however, that Ireland remains 
committed to narrowing the gap between their Kyoto burden 
share and actual emission levels by the first commitment 
period (2008-2012) through participation in the EU Emissions 
Trading Scheme (ETS) and implementation of Ireland's National 
Climate Change Strategy (NCCS). 
 
¶3.  Maughan referred Emboffs to another EEA report released 
December 2005, which stated that Ireland, per capita, 
produced 18 tonnes of green house gas (GHG) emissions in 
2003, compared to 16 tonnes in 1990.  The 2003 figure is one 
of the highest among all EU states, second to Luxembourg at 
24 tonnes per capita.  In terms of GHG emissions per GDP for 
1990-2003, however, Ireland went from producing nearly 1,500 
tonnes per million euro in 1990 to 716 in 2003, one of the 
largest reductions among EU-15 states.  Maughan told Emboffs 
that this reduction was due to closures of the Cork Steel 
Plant and the Irish Fertilizer Industry in 2002, cleaner 
generation of electricity, and reduction in number of 
livestock.  Despite this significant decrease in GHG per GDP, 
Ireland, as of 2003, remains third worse among EU-15 states 
in this area, trailing Portugal at 805 tonnes per million 
euro and Greece at 1,145. 
 
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PROJECTIONS 
----------- 
 
¶4.  Irish projections show that by 2010 Ireland will be 
producing 71.3 MtCO2 per year, 33.3 percent over 1990 levels. 
 According Maughan and the November EEA report, Ireland 
intends to purchase, through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme 
(ETS), 3.7 MtCO2 in emission allowances per year, effectively 
narrowing the projected gap between actual and agreed upon 
limits to 7.2 MtCO2. 
 
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AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPORTATION: IRELAND'S BIGGEST OFFENDERS 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
¶5.  Maughan stated that Ireland's agriculture and 
transportation sectors produce the majority of GHG emissions. 
 Agriculture, the biggest offender, is projected to decrease 
emissions by 10 percent in 2010, relative to 1990 levels. 
This means the sector will go from producing 18.65 MtCO2 per 
year to 16.7 MtCO2.  Maughan suggested that this decrease 
will be achieved by reduction in number of cattle livestock, 
cessation of coal firing and use of three new power 
generation stations by Ireland's main energy producer, 
Electricity Supply Board (ESB).  Maughan expressed concern, 
however, over a potential over-reliance on oil and gas when 
used in place of coal-burning for heating and electricity. 
 
¶6.  The transportation sector produces 17-18 percent of 
Ireland's total emissions, up 100 percent from 1990.  Maughan 
pointed out that although Ireland's transportation emissions 
are below the European average, the number of journeys per 
person is unusually high.  Relative to 1990 levels (5.143 
MtCO2), transportation emissions are projected to increase 
157 percent (13.2 MtCO2) by 2010.  Maughan said that 
transportation for the industrial sector presents a challenge 
to lowering this sectors emission levels because the country 
is not big enough to sustain a major rail system; instead 
industrial products are transported by road vehicles.  Also, 
Ireland's relatively recent economic prosperity has spurred a 
surge in private automobile purchases.  Although a carbon tax 
was proposed in Ireland, Maughan cited the GOI's Finance 
Ministry's position that such a tax is not a policy option, 
given the rising cost of energy. 
 
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KYOTO GAP NARROWED BY EMISSION 
TRADING AND DOMESTIC POLICY 
------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  Maughan said that Ireland hoped to approach its Kyoto 
targets through the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).  There 
is a total of nearly 11,400 participating fossil fuel 
generating facilities and large industrial energy users among 
EU states, 105 of which are from Ireland.  Maughan commented 
on Ireland's limited participation in the EU ETS, noting that 
since the country's growth is not reliant on big industries, 
some sectors included in the EU ETS are not present in 
Ireland.  Ireland is allocated 22.32 million tonnes of GHG 
emissions for each of the three ETS pilot years (2005-2007) 
and, according to Maughan, each year the GOI plans to 
purchase an additional 3.7 million tonnes of allowances.  He 
predicted that allowances will cost between euro 15 and 30 
per tonne.  This would cost the GOI anywhere from euro 334.8 
million to 669.6 million per year. 
 
¶8.  The National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS), published by 
the GOI Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local 
Government in October 2000, provides another mechanism for 
Ireland to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments.  The strategy 
anticipates coordinated action with the EU and international 
partners largely through buying and selling of emission 
allowances in the international market.  Domestically the 
strategy involves an Interdepartmental Climate Change Team 
(IDCCT), which acts as a steering committee for the first and 
second phases of the Kyoto Protocol commitments by bringing 
together members from various government departments to 
ensure implementation of domestic environmental policies. 
 
¶9.  Environmental policy in Ireland includes the Air Quality 
Standards Regulation 2002, the Rural Transport Initiative 
2002, Large Combustion Plants Regulations 2003 and the 
National Ban on Bituminous Coal and Petcoke (2002).  Policies 
target the energy, transportation, agriculture, industry, 
waste, residential and forestry sectors.  Maughan told 
Emboffs that legislation often provides financial incentives 
and disincentives for polluting activities, such as the 
Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) requiring all car owners to 
pay a tax of 20 to 25 percent of the total vehicle cost, with 
a 50 percent tax relief for owners of hybrids.  In addition 
to pay incentives, other policies promote informed 
consumption.  For example, regulations are in place requiring 
the Society of Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) to publish an 
annual guide, distributed to all dealerships and new car 
buyers, detailing fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions of all 
new vehicle makes and models.  In addition to this, 
dealerships are required to display in a prominent place on 
new cars CO2 emission and fuel economy levels. 
 
¶10.  The National Climate Change Strategy also promotes 
greater use of sustainable energy.  It mandated the 
establishment of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) to regulate 
and promote renewable energy initiatives, peat power stations 
and fuel switching.  The GOI has invested euro 3 billion in 
public transportation and other infrastructure improvements 
to encourage a shift of traffic from roads to rail and ship. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶11.  The U.S. and its decision to abstain from the Kyoto 
Protocol commitments have long been subject to critical media 
reporting, but especially during the November-December 2005 
Montreal Conference.  However, as the first commitment 
period, 2008-2012, quickly approaches, Irish reporters and 
politicians are awakening to the fact that Ireland will not 
be able to meet its own Kyoto commitments.  For example, a 
December 14 op-ed in the Irish Independent daily newspaper 
compared the United States and Ireland as honest and 
dishonest polluters, respectively, in the context of the 
Montreal Conference.  We expect that this contradiction will 
begin to temper the critical tone of popular opinion toward 
the USG in the coming years. 
KENNY