Leading experts speak on climate change

Leading experts in energy and climate change have told an ESB sponsored seminar that major changes must be made if emissions targets are to be reached by 2050. The seminar held in Leuven Belgium and addressed by Irish, EU, US and industry sector leaders heard stark warnings of the consequences of not reaching the required targets.

The Minister of State at the Department of Energy, Sean Power, and Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment joined the conference to give their views on a sustainable energy future on the island of Ireland.

Opening the seminar Chief Executive, Padraig McManus, said the aim of the gathering was to look strategically at the climate and energy issues we now face; how they can be met and where co-operation can deliver results at lower cost. Deepening an understanding of the issues will help deliver effective decisions and policy measures, he said.

Climate expert Prof. John Sweeney of NUI Maynooth told the conference he fears that current steps taken by the international community are not adequate to avoid exceeding 2 degrees centigrade. It is current EU and national government policy to restrict global temperature rises to 2 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels.

Globally the warmest 13 years since reliable measuring began have occurred in the past 15 years. Ireland's temperature has increased by almost one degree centigrade over the past century and according to Professor Sweeney although this is a small increase it has had dramatic implications for other aspects of climate such as decreased frost, decreased growing season and an increase in the number of hot days. Ireland's temperature is currently growing at over 0.4 degree per decade, which is over twice the global average.

If the recommended threshold is exceeded, the impact of the increase will be felt by Ireland in a number of key sectors, Professor Sweeney said, irrespective of what we do today to mitigate climate change, serious effects will be felt in agriculture, water resources, health and bio-diversity.

Meanwhile a downturn in the global economy has not deterred action according to the speakers from the Czech Republic and the Netherlands. EU countries are moving forward with plans to deliver the new targets. The Dutch government, in meeting its emission reduction obligations, is also looking hard at potential job creation opportunities through the development and export of new technologies and services.

The seminar also considered security of supply with particular reference to gas.

It was told that electricity sectors in Europe and North America had gone furthest of all industrial sectors by committing to CO2 neutrality emissions by the mid-century. In the process, the sector also has a key role to play in transport and heating through the use of electric vehicles and heat-pumps.

Current national plans on renewables, efficiency and greenhouse gases both North and South would have to be updated but this required a more detailed economic analysis. The need to deliver this was stated strongly.

The seminar was hosted by the Institute for Ireland in Europe, based in the old Irish College in Leuven.