Dublin – 16th December, 2010. The Environment Pillar of Social Partnership today welcomed the publication of the Climate Change Response Bill. However, it said the Bill’s ambition to transition Ireland to a smart low-carbon, high-value, high-employment economy needs to be sharpened, with a stronger stimulus created from more ambitious emission reduction targets.
Pat Finnegan, Co-ordinator of the Environment Pillar’s Climate/Energy Working Group said in a statement issued in Dublin today:
“The Environment Pilar has always supported climate change legislation because we believe smart and truly sustainable economic policy must aim to build wealth while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gases and tackling climate change. Decarbonisation is already one of the world’s fastest growing economic activities. This is a trend that can only continue to grow. The Bill published today takes a far too conservative approach to Ireland’s opportunities to decarbonise the economy and create thousands of new jobs on a sustainable basis. The Environment Pillar calls on all political parties, all other social partners and the general public to grasp the opportunity in the consultation phase of today’s legislation to sharpen the targets proposed in the Bill and enhance the opportunity to create a smart, low-carbon, high-value, high-employment Irish economy fit for the 21st century.”
