World Environment Day is being marked today by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, who renewed his appeal to the public to take individual responsibility for their impact on the climate.
Mr Dempsey urged people to leave the car at home every now and again, get involved in recycling, be energy efficient, conserve water and take reusable bags when out shopping.
He pointed out that last week Ireland formally ratified the Kyoto Protocol on Climate Change saying the arrangement agreed in June 1998, commited the country to increase emissions by no more than 13 per cent on 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
Encouraging people to play their part, Minister Dempsey said it is important to plan for the future as Ireland prepare for the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, over 3,000 government officials and activists from 173 countries are meeting in Bali to try to bridge differences ahead of the Summit.
The delegates have been at work since May 27th on the action plan, to be christened the Bali Commitment, but have yet to reach agreement.
The environment and development ministers will not discuss the action plan but are expected to hammer out policies to follow up the Bali Commitment and finally come up with a political declaration to be adopted in Johannesburg.
However, environmentalists have expressed doubt that the negotiations will result in a satisfactory agreement to safeguard the environment. The previous Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, has yet to see its goals met.
Mr Dempsey said the government will soon be publishing a report on Ireland’s progress in relation to sustainable development since the Rio Summit which will include a report on future government policy.
- Additional reporting AFP