Madam, - Much has been written lately on the effects that failure to meet our commitments to the Kyoto Treaty will have on the future financial health of Ireland and also, perhaps more importantly, on the global climate.
I have been quite gloomy in the past about our chances of meeting the emission targets because most of the cuts proposed would jeopardise the security of energy supplies or further impoverish rural communities. In addition the continued strong growth of the economy undermines whatever modest measures have been implemented to date.
However, a possible solution to our current and future difficulties may become available shortly. The upcoming seventh Framework Programme of the EU will include substantial funds for research and development on near-zero-emission power plants.
This is a golden opportunity for Ireland to plan for the future and begin to transform its most polluting electricity plant at Moneypoint to operate cleanly. Part of the new thinking involves capturing or sequestering any carbon dioxide emitted and subsequently storing it deep underground - conveniently, in the case of Ireland, into the now fast-emptying Kinsale gas field.
If such a process can be made to work (the world's largest pilot plant for demonstrating this new technology opened just last month near Esjberg in Denmark), then we can preserve diversity of energy supply - perhaps the most vital requirement of our national energy policy - generate electricity cheaply and substantially reduce our carbon emissions at a stroke. - Yours, etc.
Prof JOHN SIMMIE, Chemistry Department and Environmental Change Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway.