SUBMISSION ON DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGY
FEBRUARY 2008
The Science of Climate change
The advice of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC scientific consensus must be accepted. It is imperative to contain global average temperature at no more than 2° above pre-Industrial Revolution levels, and atmospheric CO2 and other warming gases stabilised at 450 parts per million CO2 equivalent (Co2 Eq), to avoid a catastrophic tipping point generating 6° rise in global temperature by the end of the 21st century and resulting sea level rise, desertification and global population displacement and resource conflict.
Ireland’s Global Responsibility
The United States is the highest per capita Greenhouse gas emitter at 25 tonnes per person. Ireland ranks sixth at 17 tonnes per capita. By contrast, the UK per capita is 11 tonnes. Irish national emissions, i.e. those calculated only within the Kyoto-defined headings within Ireland, are at a level of 69 million tonnes, which is about equivalent to the total emissions of Sweden, which has a population more than twice that of Ireland.
The UK, of which Ireland formed part, and which initiated the coal-based Industrial Revolution in the late 18th century, must now set the global lead in decarbonisation, being responsible for the highest historic per capita aggregated generation of Greenhouse gas emissions. While most of Ireland was never industrialised to the level of Britain, the cumulative historic emissions generated by the burning of peat since the population explosion from the mid 18th century, the methane emissions from the large-scale draining of bogs since the 19th century; the level of coal imports from Britain and the particular inefficiency with which Ireland has and continues to burn peat in open fires, must be factored when aggregated on a per capita basis over the last two and a half centuries.
The CO2 Equivalent Targets Needed
There is currently a complete mismatch between the science of Global Warming and the public awareness, let alone political initiative, to take the action required. CO2 Eq atmospheric stabilisation requires a reduction in current levels of anthropogenic (human caused) CO2 Eq Emissions by a level in excess of 80% by 2050. This is conservative advice based on a long drawn-out process of achieving scientific consensus through the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) process, which published its fourth report in 2007. This means bringing Irish per capita emissions to a level of under 2 tonnes, if not less. On top of this, the impact of the externalities generated by aviation and shipping and import of food, fertilizer, steel, and carbon-intensive goods, particularly from Asia, requires reduction at the same level.
The only historic comparison for the collaborative action needed is the concentrated war effort of the Allies against the Axis dictatorships during World War II. The longer the effort required is postponed, and ignorance, short-termism and individual vested interests allowed to prevail, the greater the threat to the entire biosphere and its human component.
Immediate Global Warming Projections for Ireland
Extensive ongoing multi-disciplinary research is been carried out in Ireland by the scientists with the EPA, Met Eireann and the Irish universities and third level institutions, linked to colleagues all across the globe.
Even if effective international action is taken to stabilise CO2 Eq. emissions at 450ppm, temperatures are still projected to rise to up to 2° over pre industrial levels.
A number of conclusions are gaining consensus among the scientific community on the impact of this irreversible rise in Ireland including:
· Projection of higher rainfalls in the north and west, with lower rainfall in the south and east to a level of 10-15% per annum
· More concentrated periods of higher rainfall
· More exposure to flood risk
· Increasing coastal erosion pressure, particularly on east coast
· Lower river flows, possibly to a level of 50% during lower rainfall periods potentially affecting fish spawning and water supply
· More variable water saturation levels in upland blanket bogs, raising combined risks of peat slides in high rainfall and drying out with Greenhouse gas emission and biodiversity loss in low rainfall periods.
Current Irish Targets and Policy
The 1997 Kyoto Protocol represented the important first step in global co-operation to confront climate change. Ireland successfully lobbied for an increase in its emission allowance which was set at 13% over 1990 levels. National Climate Change Strategy Ireland 2000 set out the practical measures required. However, because of non implementation, emissions grew to the same level as would have occurred if there had been no strategy and are 26% above 1990 levels by 2008, twice that of the 13% increased allowed.
In January 2008 the EU Commission announced a target of achieving a 20% reduction on EU levels by 2020, to be increased to 30% in the event of the 2007 Bali Roadmap leading a new global agreement being resolved at Copenhagen in 2009. This is still way below the reductions required by science. The January 2008 national allocation targets proposed by the Commission are based primarily on GDP and propose a new Irish target of 20% reduction below 2005 levels. The effect of this is to allow Ireland an actual increase over its 1990 level.
A new National Climate Change Strategy was published in 2007. This is now being reviewed to meet the 3% aggregated annual target for reduction of CO2, which is the most important single policy objective of the current Fianna Fail-Green Party-Progressive Democrat government.
However no implementation strategy is in place and the continuation of the expenditure objectives of the National Development Plan on road-building, aviation and port development, combined with new gas power- generating plants, and beef and dairy herd levels. The non-implementation of the 2002 National Spatial Strategy objectives to reduce car-based suburban sprawl will make emissions progressively worse over the next decade, rather than achieve any reduction. In the transport sector alone emissions have increased by 160% over 1990 levels. The specific current initiatives of the government, adjustment of VRT tax, belated compliance with the EU Energy Performance Directive for new residential buildings, and the phasing out of inefficient light bulbs, is just a first step in the range of actions required and will not be sufficient to offset the overall increases from power generation, transport and energy consumption.
What Role Can Dublin City Take?
There is major opportunity for cities and surrounding regions to adopt progressive Climate Change strategies.
Dublin can take inspiration from the increasing number of cities and regions across the world who are taking action both complementary to or additional to national governments against Climate Change. This can then be more effectively linked to action at regional level and, in the case of Dublin, using and expanding the structures already in place through the Dublin and Mid East Regional Authority and Dublin Transport Authority.
The lead group of cities internationally have formed the Climate Neutral Net (C Net). Dublin City Council can join this growing network
Example may be taken from the most recent four cities to join in February 2008. http://www.climateneutral.unep.org/
They are Arendal, Norway; Rizhao, China; Vancouver, Canada and Växjö, Sweden.
Arendal took a decision on climate neutrality in 2007. It is currently assessing its greenhouse gas footprint and will have a final estimate in May 2008. The city’s initial target is stabilization in 2012 and a 25 per cent emission reduction by 2025.
City-wide action, including energy efficiency measures in buildings, will be supplemented by the purchasing of carbon offsets via a scheme run by the Norwegian State Pollution Control body. This may commence as early as this year.
Rizhao is implementing a transition to a low carbon society via a variety of innovative measures including boosting solar power in homes and schools up to harvesting methane as a fuel from industrial waste-water.
Close to 100 per cent of urban housing now has solar heaters and 30 per cent of rural homes. Compared to 2000, the amount of energy used per unit of GDP has fallen by almost a third and CO2 emissions by almost half.
Vancouver has adopted targets to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions to 33% below current levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. In addition, Vancouver adopted the target of greenhouse gas neutral buildings for all new construction by 2030.
The city has also set a target of being carbon neutral in its own civic operations by 2012 by retro-fitting public buildings to save energy, adopting more efficient vehicles, including those powered by alternative fuels, and capturing methane gas from its landfill and converting the energy to heat and electricity.
Växjö has decided to become a ‘Fossil Fuel Free” City.
In 1996, there was a unanimous political decision to reduce CO2 emissions per inhabitant by at least 50% by the year 2010, compared to 1993. In 2006, the reduction was 30%. For the year 2025, the goal is 70% and the long term goal is of course to stop using fossil fuels. Today, over 50% of the city’s energy supply comes from renewables.
The Strategy for Dublin
The overall aim is for Dublin City Council to adopt a Climate Change Strategy that would define:
1 A statement under all of the relevant categories and headings of what is required to reduce emissions to under 2 tonnes per capita
2 Immediate and practical steps for direct action by Dublin City Council, with timetables and targets
3 A regional strategy to be adopted through negotiation to incorporate the 6 other local authorities in Dublin, and the Mid-East Regional Authority
This document sets out further policies and targets to those contained in the January 2008 Draft Strategy and proposes additional actions for Dublin City Council to promote in conjunction with the six other members of the Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authority. The overriding aim should be to make Dublin City (and the Dublin and Mid East region) an international leader in confronting Climate Change and decarbonisation, and in the shorter term, adopting a timetabled and targeted set of actions within the immediate competence of Dublin City Council to achieve.
Positive Additional Impacts
The measures contained in this Strategy, while specifically designed to reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, will have a range of significant range of parallel benefits for wellbeing, quality of life and health, the fostering of neighbourhoods, and specific effect in eliminating air pollution particle emissions, including PM10, traffic noise and congestion and create a socially cohesive and vibrant city, in harmony with its agricultural hinterland and the surrounding region.
1. WATER
General Indicator
- To reduce per capita water consumption.
Action Taken by Dublin City Council in Conjunction with Dublin and Mid East Regional Authority
- To adopt a regional water supply strategy based on a conservation of resources and limiting abstraction within the river basin catchments in the region.
Specific Actions Taken by Dublin City Council
- To promote a range of initiatives to conserve treated water.
- To promote the harvesting of greywater.
Targets
- To provide measurable timetables and targets for water conservation.
2. FOOD
General Indicator
- To enhance national and regional food security and supply.
- To maximise fruit, vegetables and other food produced within the city area and Dublin hinterland.
- To reduce the ecological and carbon footprint of the food needs of Dublin.
Action Taken by Dublin City Council in Conjunction with Dublin and Mid East Regional Authority
- To promote and maximise the level of local need food production and distribution in the Dublin area.
Direct Actions taken by Dublin City Council
- To identify and provide the support structure for produce markets in key locations around the city centre and inner and outer suburbs with produce supplied form the Greater Dublin area.
- To identify land in Dublin City Council ownership suitable for development of allotments and to promote the use of allotments by individuals, groups and local communities.
- To develop and promote in conjunction with the VEC and other bodies, training courses in the start up use and management of allotments, urban gardens and communal spaces for fruit and vegetable production.
- To initiate, in conjunction with An Taisce, a citywide schools fruit and vegetable awareness programme, with funding, training and support structure provided for schools to develop allotment plots or raised beds, and fruit trees within school grounds.
- To develop the 19th century Fruit and Vegetable market with a central focus as a local produce centre, following the relocation of wholesale business from the site.
- To provide the support structure for diversion of all organic waste into a local distribution network of composting centres to produce compost for local gardening and horticultural use.
Targets
- The City Council will set specific targets for increase in fruit and vegetable production from inner city and hinterland and reduction of ecological and carbon footprint of food uses in the city.
- Elimination of all biomass waste from the waste stream and re-sue for locally distributed compost.
3 . ENERGY
General Indicator
· To promote a strategy which would see the electrical generation needs of the city and region primarily met by renewable sources by 2020, and entirely by 2030.
Specific Additional Actions taken by Dublin City Council
District Heating and Combined Heat and Power (CHP)
Following the feasibility study already carried out by the City Council,
· to identify specific locations suitable for CHP and district heating development, both in conjunction with new developments and opportunities to retrofit existing major industrial users or hospitals in conjunction with CHP District Heating Schemes in adjoining areas.
Energy efficiency in consumption
Recognising that the retrofitting of existing housing stock with energy efficiency improvement is most economically achieved in a group contract on terraces or clusters of houses,
· to provide in conjunction with Sustainable Energy Ireland, a promotional and support scheme for group housing retrofitting, including advice and assistance to individual property owners on financing and contract management.
Geothermal Capacity
· To investigate potential, particularly through major new developments in locations such as the Docklands with deep excavation bases, potential for geothermal energy.
Timezone Management
· To promote, in conjunction with Sustainable Energy Ireland, timezone heating and lighting use management, particularly to the office and retail sector to reduce unnecessary heat and light use outside office and trading hours.
Targets
· To reduce energy consumption in the city to time-tabled targets.
4. PLANNING
Action Taken by Dublin City Council in Conjunction with Dublin Mid East Regional Authority & Dublin Transport Office
General Indicator
· To develop, in conjunction with the Department of Transport, Dublin & Mid East Regional Authority and Dublin Transport Authority, the integration of and land use planning with public transport provision.
· To fully implement the provisions of the Strategic Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area, and relevant provisions of National Spatial Strategy, Ireland, 2002, including location of all further residential, retail and office development on public transport corridors and public transport accessible locations; and orderly and sequential development set out in the overriding planning policy provisions of National Spatial Strategy, Ireland, 2002, Section 1.1 (iv), which states “Ireland needs to renew, consolidate and develop its existing towns and villages, i.e. keeping them as physically compact and public transport friendly as possible and minimising urban sprawl, while also achieving a high quality of design in new development and refurbishment. Urban land needs to be used carefully, sensitively and efficiently - with the aim of reducing dereliction and under-utilisation. Where greenfield development is necessary, it should take place through the logical extension of existing cities, towns and villages.”
Specific Actions Taken by Dublin City Council
- To amend the Dublin City Development Plan to incorporate specific provisions defining as an overriding objective, the creation of neighbourhoods and communities with walkable access to local services and public transport.
- To define six storeys as the general maximum building height for the Dublin City Council area to reflect the primary needs of human scale-orientated, neighbourhood-orientated planning and energy conservation with highest densities on public transport corridors.
- Cap level of development of tall buildings of Dublin City Council area to the three currently permitted towers at Heuston Station, Point Depot Watchtower and U2 Grand Canal Quay, with maximum height of 120m, set by the Millennium Spire.
Targets
· To define measurable targets for enhancing walkable neighbourhoods and communities.
5. TRANSPORT
General Indicator
- To decarbonise transport in Dublin with the overriding policy for a walkable, cycling friendly, public transport accessible, neighbourhood-orientated city.
- To adopt electric energy powered primarily by renewable sources, as the predominant transport generator by 2020 and complete source by 2030.
- To recognise the unsustainability of biofuel import and limited capacity of Irish biofuel to contribute to transportation use.
Actions taken by Dublin City Council in conjunction with department of Transport, Dublin East Regional Authority and Dublin Transport Authority
· To revise all transport expenditure policies and strategies with the primary aim of decarbonising transport in the Greater Dublin Area; and inter-regional and intra-regional connection
· To shift the predominant fuel for buses from diesel to electric by 2020.
· To introduce a price charging structure for all private car and road vehicle use in Dublin based on journey length, entry within particular cordons, size of vehicle, emissions and peak and off-peak time.
Specific Actions Taken by Dublin City Council
Pedestrian
· To define Dublin as a primarily walkable city, extending the current walking routes plan within and between the centres on the north and south side of the Liffey, to walking routes to districts and neighbourhood areas around the entire city area.
School Transport
· To adopt and support the further development of the DTO/An Taisce schools transportation project
· To reduce car travel to schools through a range of measures including walking buses, development of safe cycling routes, and, for families with no alternative public transport, walking or cycling option, car pooling rotas
Port Traffic
· To develop a strategy for reducing HGV traffic generated by the Port, reviving the use of the rail freight links running through the city via Phibsboro and the Phoenix Park tunnel.
Cycling
· To develop a network of safe cycling routes across the city centre in a north-south and east-west direction; on all of the arterial routes to the city centres; on routes to district neighbourhood centres and larger school and third level institutions and other nodal points on a citywide basis, maximising safety and separating and minimising conflict or interface with road vehicles.
· To provide a city bicycle scheme on the model announced by Mayor Ken Livingstone in London in February, 2008.
· To rescind the current proposed contract between Dublin City Council and JC Decaux because of its deficient cost benefit justification and linkage to the maintenance of large-scale unauthorised advertising structures across the city; and inappropriately designed and sited new advertising structures which constitute a traffic hazard as stated by DTO, in the decisions on all of the metropole signs which were subject appeal to An Bord Pleanala and refused.
· To promote and provide support structures to third level institutions and businesses for cycling use; and incentive schemes linked to the progressive reduction of surface and other carparking space provision.
· To promote “cycle and ride” rather than “park and ride” to public transport routes.
Taxis
· To control the excessive use of taxis along public transport routes, with amended fare structures, to disincentivise taxi use on public transport routes, and incentivise taxi and public transport modal sharing, e.g. use of taxi to nearest airport bus stop, rail stop or Luas stop.
Mobility Management
· To require all new development generating more than 100 person movements per day, to provide a Mobility Strategy maximising walking, cycling and public transport use; and minimising private car use.
Parking Control
· To ensure effective enforcement so that parking spaces granted permission for the use of residents in housing and apartment schemes are not subject or unauthorised lease or use for commuter parking
6. WASTE MANAGEMENT
General Indicator
· To adopt as a primary principle, the reduction of waste generation and the treating of each element of the waste stream with the optimum appropriate re-use or recycling methodology, minimising the transport and energy generated.
Specific Action by Dublin City Council
· To ensure that all organic waste biomass material is diverted from the waste stream into compost for use in the Dublin Area and Region.
· To terminate the proposed contract for the development of a waste incinerator at Poolbeg because of its impact in generating 60,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions and its exacerbation and maintenance of unsustainable waste generation.
· To initiate a range of measures to reduce the level and disposal of beverage and take away food containers, and packaging waste generally.
Targets
- To provide measurable timetables and targets for reduction of all individual elements of current waste stream, and specific sectoral reuse and recycle markets.
7. BIODIVERSITY
General Indicator
- To enhance all sectors of Biodiversity in the Dublin City Council Area
Action Taken by Dublin City Council in Conjunction with Dublin and Mid East Regional Authority
- Restore water quality of Dublin Bay to level capable of sustaining cockles and mussels fit of human consumption by 2015.
- To restore the Rivers Liffey Dodder and Tolka to the highest salmonid water quality status by 2015.
Specific Actions Taken by Dublin City Council
- To develop a planting and management strategy to enhance biodiversity in all Parks and green areas controlled by Dublin City Council
- To initiate a city wide native tree planting campaign in conjunction with schools and communities across the city, with school classes as they rise in age been guardians of individual or groups of trees.
- Limit of mown grass to formal garden and historic park areas. Majority of grassed areas under Dublin City Council control to be re-seeded with meadow species mix, mown annually for hay.
- To identify locations suitable for and create wetland areas for invertebrates and as wildlife refuges.
Targets
- To provide measurable timetables and targets for biodiversity.