Small country, big emissions – Ireland squares up to responsibilities in Copenhagen

As delegates from around the world gear up for the talks, the head of the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reiterated the body’s commitment to keeping the country in the vanguard of those trying to tackle climate change.

Laura Burke, EPA director, said: “Although we are a small country, Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions per person are amongst the highest internationally.

“Our recent publication A Summary of the State of Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts for Ireland shows that signals of climate change are already evident in Ireland.

If we are to address the threats that climate change poses we must, as a nation, reduce the emissions caused by all of our activities – and adapt to the changes in climate that we face.”

“The EPA provides expert independent scientific advice and information on climate change to a range of stakeholders.

“Through our Climate Change Research Programme, specific knowledge gaps, particularly on the actions required to address the causes and consequences of climate change, are being addressed.

“We have now developed the climate change section of the EPA website to provide an excellent resource for anyone interested in finding out more about this most important global issue”

“With challenges come risks, but also opportunity. Through our work on climate change issues the EPA is fully committed to helping Ireland to transition to a low-carbon and sustainable economy and to working with our stakeholders to achieve this goal.”

Sam Bond