Rethink resource usage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions - Poots

Environment Minister Edwin Poots today urged people and business to rethink how they use resources in order to help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr Poots was speaking after a new report revealed that greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland have fallen by 11% since 1990.

The ‘Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’ was published yesterday.

The report is compiled annually on behalf of the UK Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change and the devolved administrations. It presents estimates of greenhouse gas emissions inventories.

Six greenhouse gases are reported on: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

Environment Minister, Edwin Poots said: “I welcome the fact that emissions have fallen from 1990 levels. However, we need to recognise that reducing greenhouse gas emissions can, in many cases, have financial as well as environmental benefits and we should therefore concentrate our efforts on driving the levels down further. We can all reduce our reliance on fossil fuels by being energy efficient and by optimising energy use from renewable sources. Householders can take simple steps to reduce the cost of their energy bills by considering turning down the heating, switching off unnecessary lights or by turning off appliances on standby. Businesses who take steps to be more energy efficient or who are able to utilise renewables will realise benefits in terms of reduced costs and improved competitiveness.”

The Minister added: “To ensure that government plays its part I am chairing the Executive’s Cross-Departmental Working Group on Greenhouse Gas emissions, which is currently developing an action plan setting out the strategic approach and actions to be taken, across Departments, in order to help achieve the Programme for Government target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.”

Notes to editors:

1. The latest figures on Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions (1990-2008) are published by AEA Technology (AEAT).
2. The total GHG emissions estimate has a confidence interval of +/- 33%. Whilst the best estimate of the percentage change between 1990 and 2008 is -11.2%, the real value can fall within a range of -19% and -2%.
3. In 2008 Northern Ireland was a net exporter of electricity to the level of 7% of all power generated.
4. AEAT continually attempts to revise and improve data acquisition and estimates of greenhouse gases in the report. Changes are applied to all historic figures as well as the latest year. Revisions to methodology can substantially affect the figures produced. The full report can be found on the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory website
5. The Programme for Government commits Northern Ireland to a reduction of 25% in GHG emissions below 1990 levels by 2025.
6. The Climate Change Act 2008 contains targets to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 80% in 2050 on 1990 levels. Further details can be found on the DOE website
7. Minister Poots chairs a Cross-departmental Working Group on Greenhouse gas emissions. It aims to develop an agreed action plan by December 2010 to deliver the Programme for Government target.
8. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department of the Environment Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715440 and your call will be returned.