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COMMISSION URGED TO REJECT IRISH PEAT BURNING POLICY

Press release 23 July 2001

The European Commission should refuse Ireland's request to surcharge
consumers to pay for electricity generated from the burning of peat, Irish
NGOs claimed today.

In a Press Release today, The Irish Peatland Conservation Council, An
Taisce, Friends of the Irish Environment, Earthwatch, Grian, and Voice
called for a "fundamental rethink" of Ireland's policy of building new
peat-fired electricity generators.

The environmental NGOs emphasised that

* Peat is the most carbon intensive fossil fuel of all, releasing twice as
much CO2 as natural gas.
* Bogs are an ongoing living natural sink for carbon dioxide, absorbing CO2
and locking it away as they grow. Raised bogs contain 2,000 tonnes of carbon
per hectare, blanket bogs 700 tonnes per hectare and forest only 300 tonnes.
* Draining bogland results in the oxidation of any unused peat, releasing
yet more CO2.
* The EU Advocate General's opinion in the Habitats Directive case against
Ireland does not allow bogs to be excluded from protection for economic
reasons.

Peat is the most expensive fossil fuel. This is why the Irish government is
now seeking approval from the EU to impose a surcharge on electricity users
to subsidise three further peat-fired power plants. Without the subsidy the
plants would not be financially viable.

The groups have asked the Commission to refuse Ireland's application to
impose a Public Service Obligation on the ESB, the National Electricity
Supply Company, to purchase a set proportion of its electricity from
peat-fired power plants. Their letter points out that the proposal to
continue extracting peat for electricity generation is in breach of
Ireland's obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change. Environmental NGOs have lodged planning appeals against the
Lanesborough and Shannonbridge proposed stations.

"The government proposal means that consumers will pay to produce
electricity in a more polluting fashion. The Commission must refuse
Ireland's application to give meaning to the Kyoto Protocol. Saving the bogs
means saving the climate", a spokesperson said.

Shirley Clerkin, An Taisce: 01- 454 1786
Peter Foss, IPCC 01-872 2384

____________________________________
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
119 Capel Street
Dublin 1
Ireland

Tel & Fax +353-1-8722397
Tel +353-1-8722384
e-mail: bogs@ipcc.ie
web: www.ipcc.ie

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