This Government has quietly followed the lead of President Bush and the United States. It has avoided taking the kind of action necessary to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and meet our obligations under the Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to limit global warming. Last February, it announced that the State's 100 largest companies could actually increase their output of carbon pollutants during the 2005-2007 period. And, some weeks ago, it abandoned plans to introduce a carbon tax for householders, transport and small industry from January, 2005.
At first glance, such decisions may appear to be politically sound and a means of protecting our economic competitiveness. It is not that simple, however. Unlike the United States, the Government has signed up to a range of stringent EU financial penalties if specific carbon dioxide reduction targets are not met. Ireland already exceeds its carbon emissions target by 25 per cent. And, when huge fines come to be paid for breaching our international obligations, they will probably have to be funded by the ordinary taxpayer.
The Government's decision to abandon plans for a carbon tax has encouraged the largest industrial companies to reopen their campaign against any constraint whatsoever being placed on their emissions. In the past few days, the biggest users of energy and some generators of electricity have been particularly vocal concerning the effect such constraints may place upon their businesses. Such activity represents normal political lobbying as they seek to minimise their costs.
The bigger picture must be kept in view. If, as a society, we do not control and reduce our emissions of carbon dioxide, global warming will do irreparable damage to the environment. A report on the floating Arctic icecap, due this week from the scientists of eight nations, has found that the thaw - some 20 per cent of the icecap has disappeared in the past 30 years - is likely to accelerate. Emissions of gasses from cars, factories and power plants are largely to blame for the climate change. Should the separate, land-based Greenland icecap begin to melt, sea levels would rise disastrously by up to seven metres.
There are sound reasons why some technical changes should be made in the draft regulations prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency, particularly in relation to more efficient and environmentally friendly power plants.
But special pleading by inefficient companies should be ignored. These regulations are all about reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions - not inhibiting commercial development or cutting back on energy use. Cleaner energy and more efficient technologies should be embraced, rather than resisted. The task of cutting back on emissions and cleaning up dirty and inefficient industries will involve some pain and financial cost. But, as the economy continues to grow strongly by comparison with its EU neighbours, the Government should look towards Berlin, rather than Boston.