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GRIAN MEDIA RELEASE Issued: Doha, Qatar, Sunday 2nd December 23.00 hrs AST (20.00 GMT) Ireland improves in NGO Climate Performance ranking Ireland has climbed several places in the annual NGO assessment of international action against climate change, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI, see: http://germanwatch.org/en/5698), released today at the beginning of the second week of crucial UN climate negotiations taking place in Doha, Qatar. In a statement issued from Doha, where he has been working intensively on behalf of NGO's in the Climate Action Network (CAN) since November 23rd, Pat Finnegan of Grian said today that while the improvement is welcome, Ireland can do much better and should do much better. The CCPI, compiled annually jointly by Germanwatch (Note 1) and CAN-Europe (Climate Action Network Europe, Note 2) covers 58 countries collectively accounting for over 90% of global emissions. This year's assessment (CCPI 2013) is the eight edition of the index, which has been produced annually by NGO's since 2005. Countries in the CCPI are ranked according to a comprehensive and carefully-designed set of indicators including empirical data on levels of emissions per capita, national emission trends, deployment of renewable energy resources, commitment to energy efficiency measures, along with national policy assessments carried out by in-country experts. This year’s policy review for Ireland was performed, as in previous years, by Pat Finnegan of Grian. In a statement issued from COP-18 (Note 3) in Doha today, Pat Finnegan, Co-ordinator of Grian, (who this year is attending his 14th major UN climate conference) said this morning: "Climate change is a whole-of-government problem and it requires a whole-of- government solution. That is the case whether we are talking about Ireland or any of the other 57 countries NGO's have ranked today. Ireland's rise up the rankings this year is obviously to be welcomed. However, the cautionary note is that a at least half of the rise can be attributed to the self-inflicted economic shock caused by bad fiscal management of the economy. That has checked back emissions by almost exactly the same extent it has checked back GDP. So any attempts to re-start the economy will only re-inflate emissions unless direct and powerful new renewable energy and energy efficiency measures become basic to every aspect of government policy. There is little sign of that happening anytime soon, other than vague references to a new "green economy" cropping up occasionally in Ministerial speeches now and again." Pat Finnegan concuded: "Ireland can do much better, and should do much better. We have one of the very best wind resources per capita in the world, one of the very best wave energy resources, and one of the very best tidal energy resources. We have a huge potential biomass resource. Even if many people, and certainly, it seems, government, appear unaware of it, actually our solar resources per capita are right up there amongst the best in Europe. Why on earth is Ireland not in first place in this index already ?" For the full report and further detail see: http://germanwatch.org/en/5698 --------------- ENDS -------------- Note 1: Following the motto "Observing, Analysing, Acting", Germanwatch has been actively promoting global equity and the preservation of livelihoods since 1991. (See: www.germanwatch.org ) Note 2: Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe (www.climnet.org) is recognised as Europe‘s leading network working on climate and energy issues. With over 100 members in 25 european countries, CAN-E unites to work to prevent dangerous climate change and promote sustainable energy and environment policy in Europe. Grian (www.grian.ie) is CAN-Europe's longest standing (and only fully active) Irish member (since 2001). |
