{"id":23757,"date":"2021-11-03T11:30:32","date_gmt":"2021-11-03T15:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23757"},"modified":"2021-11-03T11:30:36","modified_gmt":"2021-11-03T15:30:36","slug":"martin-accused-of-cop-out-over-cop26-commitments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=23757","title":{"rendered":"Martin Accused Of ‘Cop Out’ Over COP26 Commitments"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Taoiseach insisted the Cop26 agreement of a 30 per cent reduction in methane is a global target, towards which individual countries will have to contribute (PA)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Taoiseach Miche\u00e1l Martin has been accused of a \u201ccop out\u201d on commitments made at Cop26 before \u201cthe ink is dry on the agreement\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the climate conference in Glasgow this week, Ireland signed up to a global pledge to limit methane emissions by 30 per cent compared with 2020 levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the Government has indicated that the pledge will not be included in Ireland\u2019s forthcoming carbon budgets, which will target a 10 per cent cut in methane, as well as larger reductions in other gas emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Democrats co-leader Roisin Shorthall questioned if the Government\u2019s actions on climate will meet its rhetoric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking during Leaders\u2019 Questions in the D\u00e1il, she said: \u201cThe omens are not good, it has to be said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYesterday you said Ireland would sign a pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30 per cent, before hastily adding that this was a global target and not a national one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe hear the climate action plan contains a target of just 10 per cent reduction and the T\u00e1naiste also used this 10 per cent figure yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you explain the purpose of publicly signing up to a 30 per cent reduction target, when it seems you have no intention of even even attempting to achieve that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Shorthall said that if every country took that approach there would be \u201czero chance\u201d the targets would be met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy are you making commitments at Cop that you cop out of as soon as the ink is dry on the agreement?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responding, Mr Martin insisted the Cop26 agreement of a 30 per cent reduction in methane is a global target, towards which individual countries will have to contribute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He accused Ms Shorthall of an \u201cabundance of negativity\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said: \u201cYou seem to persistently want to seek to undermine what are genuine and transformative decisions by this Government to step-change our response to climate change, which we have done through the climate action legislation, through the establishment of the climate council and the carbon budgeting that will occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn the global methane pledge, I think the deputy is being somewhat disingenuous here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRead the pledge. Read what people have signed up to. It is a global pledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo globally, collectively, in different ways and through different mechanisms, countries who sign up will contribute to that overall 30 per cent global reduction in methane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin said the Government\u2019s climate action plan will \u201cdeal with every sector\u201d, including energy, transport, agriculture, land use and deforestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Shorthall also asked the Taoiseach for clarity on plans to cull the national herd as part of Ireland\u2019s climate goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that the Green Party has called for a reduction in size, while members of the other coalition parties, Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael, have \u201cmysteriously started to use the phrase \u201cstabilization\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Martin did not respond to the question despite repeated requests from Ms Shorthall.<\/p>\n

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