Update on Irish Transport

Cap and Share is being seriously considered in Ireland to overcome the rise in CO2 emissions from road transport that were 2.5 times greater in 2005 than they were in 1990, and are continuing to grow rapidly. If the 1990-2005 increase had not taken place, Ireland would have no problem in meeting its commitment to its EU partners under the Kyoto Protocol to limit its emissions growth to a 13% rise above 1990 levels. As things are, the rise in its emissions will be about twice that amount. One reason for the huge increase in Irish transport emissions is that the cost in terms of people’s earnings of driving a car for a kilometre has fallen to about half the level it was in the 1970s and 80s.

Increasing the tax on motor fuels by enough to start a downward emissions trend would be political suicide but C&S could do the same job in a politically-acceptable way. It would work like this. The tonnage of CO2 emissions from the petrol and diesel fuel used in Ireland in the initial year would be calculated and divided by the number of people on the electoral register. Each person would then be sent a certificate conveying his or her share of the emissions tonnage, which they would sell to a bank or post office. The tonnage purchased would be consolidated and sold on to companies importing or refining motor fuels in Ireland. Customs and Excise would verify that each firm had bought enough emissions rights when it collected the duty on the fuel. Very little extra work would be involved.