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International and Irish NGOs condemn European Commission Decision on Peat Powered Stations

Marrakech, 8th November 2001

International and Irish NGOs condemn European Commission approval of 568
million Irish pound subsidy for destruction of Irish carbon sinks

Meeting in Marrakech at the 7th Conference of the Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [UNFCCC], Irish and
International NGOs [non-governmental organisations] condemned the EC
decision to approve an Irish government application to subsidise the burning
of peat for electricity production. Two new peat-fired power plants are to
be built to burn peat from Irish midland raised bogs.

This subsidy is estimated to be 30 million Irish pounds per year between
2001 and 2019. It will be funded by a surcharge on all Irish electricity
sales, including sales of electricity from renewable resources.

Irish NGOs had opposed this proposal on multiple grounds
· Peat is the most carbon-intensive of fossil fuels, with CO2 emissions
between 2 and 3 times those of gas
· The impacts of oxidation of peat resulting from drainage for peat
extraction
· Destruction of living carbon sinks
· Legal action ongoing against Ireland for failing to designate
sufficient
peatlands under the Habitats Directive.

The NGOs charge that the decision contravenes Ireland,s commitment to
protect its sinks under Article 4 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) and its habitats under the Convention on Biodiversity, the
European Treaty and the EU Habitats Directive. The Irish Wind Energy
Association has also condemned the subsidy, which is not being made
available to renewables. The proposal has also been criticised by the
International Energy Agency, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development and Ireland,s Economic and Social Research Institute.

The Commission has permitted the subsidy on the grounds that Directive 96/92
permits these surcharges where necessary for "security of supply", stating
that "the Commission is not responsible for enforcing other agreements that
the Irish government may have entered into outside the EU treaty".

The NGOs are to file a formal complaint under Article 174 of the Treaty
establishing the EU, which requires community policy to contribute to
"prudent and rational utilisations of natural resources".

Green MEP, Patricia Mc Kenna is totally supportive of this initiative and
said that she finds it, "quite extraordinary that the Commission should
refer to a security of supply, argument to grant approval to ventures which
will release extra greenhouse gases in breach of the Kyoto Protocol and will
destroy environmental assets in breach of the Habitats Directive. I totally
support this complaint and will lobby in the EU to have urgently considered
and acted upon.

Signatories
Friends of the Earth International,
Grian Greenhouse Ireland Action Network,
Earthwatch,
Gluaiseacht,
Friends of the Irish Environment,
Voice,
Irish Peatlands Conservation Council,
An Taisce

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Further Information :
David Healy, verdire@eircom.net, +353 87 6178852
Tony Lowes, An Taisce Natural Resources Committee. 027 73025

*Letter from Ms. Loyola de Palacio, Vice-President of the European
Commission, 20.09.2001

ends