Radical initiatives needed for sustainable growth

Ireland needs radical new initiatives and more ambitious targets for sustainable development in planning, health and transport, a conference in Dublin heard yesterday.

Maintaining that Ireland's first national sustainable development strategy "simply did not work", Prof Frank Convery said a forthcoming review of the strategy needed much more ambitious policies in relation to transport, health and planning.

Prof Convery who was addressing the annual conference of Comhar, of which he is chairman, was supported in his call for more radical action by Minister for the Environment John Gormley.

Both men said the strategy review should impose more ambitious targets for sustainable development than had gone before, with Mr Gormley telling the conference Ireland was heading in the right direction but needed to "move a lot faster".

In his address Prof Convery said the first national sustainable development strategy, published in 1997, did not work because the economy grew at an unprecedented rate "but failed to deliver sustainable models for future growth".

In the proposed new strategy, due out next year, Comhar wanted to see more radical initiatives, such as "carbon-proofing" of all new fiscal measures to ensure they did not drive up greenhouse gas emissions.

Comhar also wanted to see increased usage of biofuels in public transport and Government vehicle fleets, and enhanced infrastructure planning to encourage more walking, cycling and healthier lifestyles.

Prof Convery said the new strategy should contain a clear timetable for emissions reductions by 2020, and should outline initiatives like the plastic bag levy in areas like transport and health.

"Our plastic bag levy is a world famous model and is recognised internationally as an example of best practice in the area of sustainable development," he noted.

Prof Convery also claimed Ireland had the potential to become a world leader in sustainable development - "but only if it meets ambitious targets on climate change and adopts a more innovative and pro-active approach to sustainability overall".

Mr Gormley also referred to the plastic bag levy, alongside the landfill levy, as "positive experiences" for Ireland that had won wide acceptance among the general public, "as had the smoking ban".

"Further integrated policy measures are called for under the National Climate Change Strategy," he said, adding the programme for government is committed to the phasing in of a carbon levy, "on a revenue-neutral basis over the lifetime of the current Government."

Mr Gormley said industries should see the commercial opportunities that were available with coming changes.