Ireland's oil dependence fuels global injustice

Reliance on depleting fossil fuels is bad for us and bad for climate change

As the latest round of UN climate talks comes to a close in Bonn on Friday, Stop Climate Chaos, a coalition of development, environment, faith and youth groups, put the spotlight on Ireland's dependence on imported fossil fuels and how it is fuelling global injustice. In a photo stunt outside the Dáil today the coalition physically represented emissions per person from four different countries, demonstrating the much larger carbon footprint of the average Irish person. Stop Climate Chaos has welcomed the commitment in the Programme for Government to pass a climate law and is calling on Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan to publish his Bill before he heads to Durban for the next round of climate talks in December.

Colin Roche of Oxfam Ireland said
"In the interests of global justice and a safe climate, Ireland, like everybody else will have to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. In the interests of energy security and affordability Ireland needs to cut our use of pricey fossil fuels as fast as possible and invest instead in renewable energy. People in developing countries are already suffering the effects of climate change and will suffer further if Ireland and other countries fail their responsibility to reduce their emissions. We also have a responsibility to ourselves to develop a clean green economy based on safe energy that won't run out."

89% of the energy we use in Ireland comes from imported fossil fuels, more than half of that from oil. As a result Ireland emits 17 tonnes of carbon emissions per person per year, compared to 11 tonnes in Denmark, just 5 in China and barely 1 in Ethiopia.
Speaking from the talks in Bonn, Cliona Sharkey of Trócaire said
"Ireland is among the highest emitters of greenhouse gases per person among developed countries, but we have significant potential to address this. Strong climate legislation is a crucial instrument to ensure we do so effectively and to drive a transformation to a safe and sustainable low carbon economy".

Taja Naidoo of Progressio Ireland said
"The passing of a climate law will send a clear signal to people in developing countries that Ireland will not stand idly by while people suffer, and that we are truly committed to tackling climate change. If Minister Hogan is serious about his commitment to have a climate law passed in 2012 he should publish a Bill this Autumn to allow adequate time for consultation."

ENDS

Notes:
1. The members of Stop Climate Chaos Coalition are: Action Aid, Afri, Birdwatch, Christian Aid, Climate Action Ireland Platform, Comhlámh, Concern, Cultivate, Dublin Friends of the Earth, Eco Congregation Ireland, ECO UNESCO, Feasta, Friends of the Earth, Gorta, Just Forests, Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Latin America Solidarity Centre (LASC), Methodist Church of Ireland- Council of Social Responsibility, Mountmellick Environmental Group (MEG), National Youth Council of Ireland, Oxfam Ireland, Presentation Ireland, Progressio Ireland, Sustain West Cork, Trócaire, An Taisce, Vita, V.O.I.C.E.
2. Sources: Greenhouse Gas Emissions- Annual per capita emissions in tonnes of CO2e for the six Kyoto gases in 2005. WRI's Climate Analysis Indicators Tool: http://cait.wri.org/cait.php. Energy use- Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, "Energy in Ireland 1990-2009" pg.5.