11.26.06
Climate Change Challenge Survey Results Reveal Political Party Positions on Transport Policy and Spending’
‘Climate Change Challenge Survey Results Reveal Political Party Positions on Transport Policy and Spending’
Results of a survey of political party’s views on climate change were received on Friday 24th November, revealing divergent views of transport related issues. A 10 question, Climate Change Challenge, survey was sent on Monday 20th November to all political parties, Oireachtas members, as well as members of Meath County Council and the National Roads Authority. The results were to be published and discussed at a conference on Saturday, 25th November. However, that conference had to be postponed until the new year, due to a scheduling conflict at the venue.
The responses revealed unanimous agreement that climate change is a very important issue but highlighted crucial differences between the political parties in their approach to meeting the climate change challenge, particularly in the area of transport spending.
Questions included issues of green taxes on motorists, new legislation, toll roads and whether there should be a new cost-benefit analysis of Transport 21 and the upcoming 2007 National Development Plan in light of the new data on the effects of climate change on the economy.
Scheduled to speak at the conference were Dr. Liam Leonard of the Department of Sociology and Politics, NUI Galway and Pat Finnegan of GRIAN, the Greenhouse Ireland Action Network. Then there was to be a panel discussion, featuring Cllr. Eugene Regan (FG), Sean Crowe, TD (SF), Cllr. Dermot Lacey (Lab), Ciaran Cuffe, TD (GP), and Senate candidate Martin Hogan (Ind).
Answers to the survey were received from Fiona O’Malley, TD (PD); Eamon Gilmore, TD, (Lab); Cllr. Eugene Regan (FG); Ciaran Cuffe, TD; and Dr. Liam Leonard. They are provided after each question below. Sinn Fein would not doubt have given their views at the conference and Fianna Fail did not send a response, nor send a delegate to the conference. It is hoped that they will respond to a more comprehensive survey that will now be sent to all parties in advance of the rescheduled conference.
The Climate Change Challenge was initiated by NGOs campaigning on transport and environment issues in County Meath, and that county will be used as a case study for analysing government policy and spending on transport. However, it is hoped that it will create a forum for all political parties, NGOs and the public to join in ongoing debate on how to tackle the climate change challenge in Ireland.
Joanne Corbett, one of the organisers, said:
“Climate change is the most important issue currently facing Ireland, and unlike most other countries, we have not yet begun our national conversation on how to address it.
“This is about real and immediate choices being made now, particularly in Government spending on transport, in response to a clear and present threat to our way of life, both in Ireland and around the world.
“We are very pleased that so many of the political parties, as well as groups like GRIAN and Friends of the Earth, agreed to respond to our survey and participate in the conference. And we do hope that we will have all of the parties participating soon.
ENDS
Contact:
Joanne Corbett: 087-233-9606 / 087-132-3365
CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE SURVEY & RESPONSES
1. Do you agree with the basic premise of the October 2006 Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change, which warns of catastrophic costs for the world economy if industrialized countries fail to take immediate action to stop global warming?
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes
Progressive Democrats: Yes
Dr. Leonard: On Stern- Yes.
2. Do you agree with 66% of respondents to The Irish Times survey (Nov 18, 2006) that the UN Climate Change has not done enough to help prevent global warming?*
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes, there is a huge amount that could be done without destroying our economy as the Government insists.
Progressive Democrats: Yes
Dr. Leonard: On UN-Yes. UN must address ethical as well as sustainable development.
3. Do agree that the European Union is falling woefully short of its targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and will need to take radical measures to achieve them, particularly in Transport which accounts for 22 per cent of EU emissions?
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes, the EU needs to go further but so do the rest of the world. We want to EU to show the internationally and we want to Ireland showing the way in the EU
Progressive Democrats: Yes
Dr. Leonard: On EU- Yes Increase spend on public transport esp. Rail
4. Do you agree with the finding of EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, (corroborated by the 2006 findings of Germanwatch which placed Ireland 33rd out of 55 nations on the climate change index) that unless Ireland takes radical action, we will fail to meet our national emission limits, which are binding under EU law?
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes, and I have been pointing this out to Dick Roche for some time. I don’t think buying out way out of this is meeting our requirements as Dick Roche does
Progressive Democrats: Yes
Dr. Leonard: n Limits to Emmissions-Yes We need to go beyond Kyoto.
5. Do you agree that in light of the new data of the enormously detrimental effects of transport on climate change and the economy that a new cost benefit analysis of Transport 21 (which will cost approximately €30-40 billion) should take place?
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes, I would go further than that. All transport investments should be reappraised to be climate change proofed. It is very frustrating to see an EIS for some regional road project which makes no reference to climate change. But you cannot separate planning and transport so I would like to see county development plans and local area plans climate change proofed
Progressive Democrats: Not necessary
Dr. Leonard: On ‘Agenda 21 to Transport 21′ disaster-Yes. Cost benefit analysis and prioritisation for rail & public transport paramount.
6. Do you agree with Danny McCoy, Director of Policy with Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), who said that “Prior assessment of capital investment projects is inadequate. Detailed cost benefit analyses must be an essential component of projects in the upcoming National Development Plan (which is set to cost €70 billion)?” [‘Improving the Efficiency of Public Spending’ Opinion -The Irish Times, 16-11-06]
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Yes
Green Party: Yes
Progressive Democrats: Yes
Dr. Leonard: On Cost/Eco Efficent NDP- Yes. Planning must include all considerations: eco, community, efficiency
7. Do you agree with Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Dick Roche “taxing vehicles on the basis of the emissions” should begin in order to reduce carbon emissions and pay Kyoto fines or would you recommend that the Government follow the UK lead and bring in legislation to limit traffic congestion and set up a Climate Change committee that sets carbon targets and can enforce limits on emissions? [Irish Examiner 31-10-06]
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: The focus of Ireland’s efforts should be to reduce carbon emissions. Labour favours the U.K. Government’s approach on this.
Green Party: I would see a role for both emission’s charges and congestion charges. I think that something we need to do first is to highlight that ordinary taxpayers are already paying a climate change tax as the Government is already preparing to pay our way out of Kyoto with tax payer’s money. New charges or taxes are never popular but in this case people are going to pay one way or another (and are already paying) so it is more a question of making those charges as fair and equitable as possible
Progressive Democrats: Too long and detailed for yes or no elements I agree with
Dr. Leonard: On Traffic Limits & Emissions Limits- Yes. State priority of growth at all costs will cost all in time.
8. Do you agree that the private multi-national companies, currently building and operating tolled motorways in Ireland, should pay taxes on the basis of carbon emissions produced by their operations, and should be prevented from passing these penalties onto the motorist through increased toll charges?
Fine Gael: No. Let the polluter pay
Labour: The Labour Party is opposed to the tolling and/ or privatisation of public roadways.
Green Party: I agree that they should pay but it is very difficult stop companies passing on costs to consumers
Progressive Democrats: No
Dr. Leonard: On Carbon Emissions Taxes for Multinationals- Yes. Its the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’. All Multinationals should incorporate reduced pollution costs from
planning to implementation.
9. Do you agree with the Economic and Social Research Institute that investment in transport should remain a priority, but current targeted spending found in the Estimates should be reduced to €3.4 billion from €4 billion and in order to avoid having to raise taxes to pay for it?
Fine Gael: Yes
Labour: Investment in Transport should remain a priority. Labour
considers that the recent ESRI Report is recommending cuts in public
capital expenditure, which will impact hardest on low income families.
Green Party: It is not about how much we spend so much as about what we spend it on. We simply need to put more of the resources we have into public transport.
Progressive Democrats: No
Dr. Leonard: On Reduced spending for private/increased spending for public transport- Yes. Public transport & BioFuels will bring us to the next eco-econ age.
10. Do you agree that public money should not be allocated to the M3 until a new cost/benefit analysis occurs, because the current one is very outdated in that:
(a) The current estimated cost of €600 million is based on year 2000 prices,
(b) It does not take the new climate change data into account,
(c) It does not factor in 3 other motorways running in close proximity (M1, M2, and M4),
(d) It does not factor in the Dublin to Navan railway being opened, and
(e) It does not take into account the fact that tolls be paid by citizens for 40 years and the profits will go out of the economy to Spanish multi-national investors.
Fine Gael: No
Labour: No. Labour believes that the M3 should be constructed in 3 sections. The section between Navan and Dunshaughlin should be re-considered and re-routed to avoid impacting on the historic Tara/Skryne
Valley.
Green Party: I am not in favour of the current M3 proposal for all of the above reasons. I want to see the N3 upgraded and I want to see the people of Meath provided with top class public transport links
Progressive Democrats: No
Dr. Leonard: On Cost Benefit Analysis before more spending on M3- Yes. Move the M3 & Save Tara with efficient planning.