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Climate Pollution - How Ireland stacks up
If everybody lived like the Irish we would need the resources of more than three planet Earths to survive. But we have just one Earth. And if it is to be a just one, we will all have to do our fair share to prevent climate chaos. Ireland is emitting 17 tonnes of greenhouse gases per person per year (2003, 2004, 2005). This makes us the second worst polluter in the European Union after Luxembourg and compares to an EU average of 11 tonnes. Among rich countries Ireland is the 6th most generous overseas aid donor per person. But, Ireland is the 5th most climate polluting country per person. If everybody lived like the Irish we would need the resources of more than three planet Earths to survive. But we have just one Earth. And if it is to be a just one, we will all have to do our fair share to prevent climate chaos. Ireland is emitting 17 tonnes of greenhouse gases per person per year (2003, 2004, 2005). This makes us the second worst polluter in the European Union after Luxembourg and compares to an EU average of 11 tonnes. Taking carbon emissions alone, Ireland emitted over 10 tonnes per person in 2003. Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda, four of Ireland's priority aid countries in Africa, each produced 0.1 tonne per person. So every Irish person is responsible for 100 times the carbon pollution of the average Ethiopian or Ugandan. Even Brazil, India and China, three of the "emerging economies" of the developing world, produced just 1.6, 1.2 and 3.2 tonnes of CO2 per person in 2003. Across the developing world as a whole the average per capita emissions were 2.2 tonnes. In the 49 poorest countries it was just 0.2. It is these poorest countries, who have done least to cause climate change, who are being hit first and hardest by its impacts and are least able to adapt to those impacts. Under the 1992 UN Convention on Climate Change rich countries recognised their historical responsibility to act first to curb their pollution. Under the 1997 Kyoto Protocol Ireland agreed to limit the growth in our emissions to 13% above 1990 levels by 2008-2012. But in 2005 our emissions had already reached 25% above 1990, almost twice the rise we committed to. Sources: Eurostat and the UNDP Human Development Report 2006For more information on Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions, including a breakdown by sector and over time see the latest report from the EPA (February 2007). For more information on the impact of climate change on developing countries see the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. |
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Stop Climate Chaos | www.stopclimatechaos.ie | info@stopclimatechaos.ie
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Among rich countries Ireland is the 6th most generous overseas aid donor per person. But, Ireland is the 5th most climate polluting country per person.
