Ireland on track to meet Kyoto CO2 commitment
A European Commission report suggests that Ireland is on track to achieve its Kyoto commitments on greenhouse gas emissions by 2010.It reveals that Ireland's emissions are likely to be 22.6% above 1990 levels by this time, compared to the country's target of 13%.
However, the use of Kyoto governmental mechanisms, carbon sinks (in forests that soak up CO2), and additional policies and measures will bring this figure down to 12.3%, 0.7% inside the target.
Steps taken by businesses in Ireland have helped towards this achievement, and across EU member states as a whole emissions could be reduced by 11.4% by 2010, compared to 1990 - greater than the eight per cent commitment that is in place.
The EU notes that the target will be "more than comfortably achieved on condition that additional policies and measures currently under discussion are promptly put in place and fully implemented".
Ireland's Environment Minister, John Gormley, has stressed that the country will meet its Kyoto target one way or another.
Measures likely to be implemented include encouraging business to consume less energy and to use renewable energy sources.
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