An Taoiseach Brian Cowen has come under pressure from a group of business leaders to take the lead responsibility for Government policy on dealing with climate change.
The Irish Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change has put pressure on the Taoiseach and urged his Government to bring in their Climate Change Bill before the end of the year in order to ensure certainty for business.
This group of CEOs and managing directors, that belive the Climate Change Bill needs to create clear and credible targets, are: Arup Consulting Engineers, Bord Gáis Eireann, Bord na Móna, Diageo Ireland, Intel Ireland, KPMG Ireland,NTR plc,Siemens Ireland,and Vodafone Ireland.
Embrace a greener approach
The leaders group urges the Government to enact the Bill so Ireland can embrace greener approaches at a fast rate in order to stay competitive and view robust climate change legislation as ‘a foundation stone of economically and environmentally sustainable prosperity’.
“Managing the transition to a prosperous, low-carbon economy is not a job for one or two ministers: it is a whole-of-government challenge, which requires action and accountability from every department. The Bill should provide for that and for politically-agreed sectoral targets within each overall carbon budget,” a Leaders Group statement read, insisting that the overall responsibility rest on the Taoiseach’s shoulders.
“We believe that only the Taoiseach has the necessary authority to broker a deal among cabinet colleagues as departments and their ministers seek the largest possible share of the national carbon budget for their sector.”
Ireland’s plan to reduce emissions by 3pc a year between now and 2020 has already been announced, but climate policy responsibility should lie with the Government, according to the leaders group; who are also urging the Government to make Ireland a world leader among competitive, low-carbon economies.
