Heated Climate At Bali Talks As Deadlock Looms

Ireland is failing to meet targets to reduce its production of climate changing 'greenhouse' gases.

Increases in vehicle use are the main element that is preventing the Republic from meeting its CO2 reduction targets.

Cars are to blame as new figures from Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) show.

They relate that CO2 emissions would be down 2.8% if it weren't for a large increase in transport-related emissions.

On the plus side, CO2 emissions from electricity and heating fell by 1.8% and 3.5% respectively, but as more - larger - cars are used, transport emissions grew by more than 7%.

SEI insists that Irish people are indeed driving more and using cars with bigger engines.

In counterpoint, the Minister for the Environment, John Gormley, has told UN climate change talks in Bali that developed countries that continue to prevaricate are guilty of a gross dereliction of duty.

In his address to the plenary session, Green Party Leader, John Gormley said action to tackle climate change was at the heat of Irish Government policy.

He has told delegates from more than 192 countries that future generations will be harsh in their judgement of developed countries that do not tackle global warming now.

While the US was not mentioned explicitly, his comments will be taken as criticism of their position in Bali. In contrast, he praised Australia by name for signing up to Kyoto.

The Minister contended that there was now a new shade of green in Ireland and outlined Government policies, some of which were announced in the recent Budget.

Mr Gormley said Ireland and all developed countries need to reduce their emissions to 25-40% below 1990 levels by 2020.

However, as Irish emissions are 11% above their Kyoto limit, he admitted they face a particularly difficult task.

There has also been discord too between the European Union and the US as each accused the other of blocking a deal to launch negotiations on a new global warming treaty as the clock runs down on UN climate talks in Bali.

Humberto Rosa, the EU's chief negotiator in Bali, said he was disappointed that all the world is still waiting for the US.

The US, Japan, Canada and Australia oppose EU-led efforts to include a non-binding goal for rich nations to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 25 to 40% below 1990 levels by 2020 as a guiding principle for future talks.

The US reaffirmed it would join a new treaty, meant to be agreed in Copenhagen in late 2009 with participation of developing nations led by China and India, but that it was wrong to set any targets prejudging the outcome.

The UN warned the 190-nation meeting that continuing deadlock meant there was a risk that the talks would collapse and take the momentum out of international efforts to slow warming.

The Bali talks are split over the guidelines for starting two years of formal talks on a deal to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.

The Bali talks are due to conclude tomorrow.

(BMcC)