Dempsey at Large: Moneypoint – major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions

So, Moneypoint, the giant ESB power station in Co Clare, has been clearly identified as a major contributor to Irish greenhouse gas emissions.

Fair enough you might say, the coal is consumed in Ireland so Ireland should have the emissions counted as its output – the potential carbon emissions from the coal are not counted as coming from the US so President Trump is trying to change US policy and re-open them while China, as a major coal burner, is attempting to shift its sources of energy away from coal.

So what should Ireland’s policy be? Up to now, we have broadly accepted the responsibility for the emissions coming from our livestock sector. But if we were to use the case of coal (and indeed oil) and say that if it is the consumer of the product rather than the producer who should bear responsibility for the greenhouse gases, we are in a different state as regards Ireland’s contribution to European greenhouse gas emissions. Given that we export about 90% of our beef and 85% of our dairy products, if the responsibility rested with the consumer of the produce, it would present a different factual base to the greenhouse gas/climate change debate and Ireland’s part in it.

This method of greenhouse gas allocation would back up the argument that if Ireland is forced to reduce livestock numbers because of greenhouse gas limitations, production will move to less carbon-efficient production elsewhere.

Is the argument worth making at this comparatively late stage in the carbon discussions? Clearly if we don’t try, we won’t succeed. There is also a clear logic a consistent carbon counting approach.