John Gormley

I realise that there has been no blog entry since my time in Bali (the place was way too humid for my liking). Because there’s very little time, this blog will always be sporadic, I’m afraid.

The usual hype and spin surrounded the publication of today’s Irish Times opinion poll. While it’s somewhat gratifying to be up in the polls for both the party standing and the satisfaction with party leader, I’m also aware that it is all pretty pointless. There’s another opinion poll in the Sunday Business Post on Sunday and I would not be surprised if we were down – given that their last one overestimated us. After our own general election and the New Hampshire Primary surely the lesson is: don’t rely on polls.

I really enjoyed my trip to Kerry yesterday, particularly my visit to Loughquittane primary school for the presentation of their Green Flag. I also visited the Mounthawk School in Tralee, where I discussed a climate change project that Transition Year students were undertaking. It was great to see the enthusiasm for green issues.

Today I launched the new logo for the Department. I had a major input into this one and I think it’s an improvement on the previous one, which consisted of a drawing of a very foreboding Custom House.

Tomorrow I’m spending the day in Carlow and Kilkenny with our deputy leader Mary White TD.

Negotiations are continuing here in Bali as the deadline for agreement on a roadmap to a new climate change deal approaches. There is no official cut-off, but we need to reach an agreement by the early hours of Saturday morning.

As to be expected this is painstakingly slow, but the bottom line for me is that we simply need a Bali roadmap if we are to stand a chance of getting a climate change deal for 2012.

The main stumbling block remains the issue of whether the agreement contains wording that developed nations must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 25 per cent and 40 per cent.

A small number of powerful countries, including the United States and Canada, are resistant to this. The European Union group, of which Ireland is a member, wants to see such a commitment in the roadmap.

The reason we have taken this position is that this is the figure identified by the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change as being necessary if the world is to stabilise greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere by 2020, and thus avoid potentially catastrophic climate change.

The conference here in Bali is about much more than this point.

We need a comprehensive agreement that delivers on the building blocks for four key areas; mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer and financing. I know this sounds somewhat complicated, but it’s important. These four blocks are all essentials for a workable deal.

Mitigation, that is what commitments countries need take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is of course an absolute must in any post-Kyoto deal.

Adaptation to unavoidable climate change is vital, especially for countries and areas most vulnerable to its effects, like the major river delta areas.

Technology transfer, in terms of developing alternative technologies to reduce energy demand, developing renewable energy sources, and even sequestering carbon dioxide, is essential too.

And none can take place without financing measures in place, to put a price on carbon, and ensure that money is directed to the areas where it is needed.

Despite the slowness of the process, I remain optimistic. At our daily meeting of EU ministers this morning, the mood remained determined and positive.

Today I met Reinhard Butikofer, who is the chairman of the German Green Party, and he shared my optimism. We simply cannot fail here in Bali.

Meanwhile the international names have arrived in Bali today, and are the centre of media attention. Al Gore spoke at the conference to a packed hall yesterday evening, while New York mayor Mike Bloomberg also gave a talk. I think the attendance of people like Al Gore and Mike Bloomberg is hugely important. It brings a strong focus on what we are trying to achieve here in Bali.

The work here in Bali is set to intensify tomorrow as our deadline for agreement draws close.

The work of the politicians is now under way in earnest at the UN climate change conference in Bali. Today the discussions and debate about climate change moved from behind-the-scenes working groups and into the political arena with the arrival of the ministers, heads of state and political leaders.

With the horrific bombing of UN offices in Algiers yesterday, and the start of political talks, security has been increased even further in Nusa Dua, where the conference is taking place.

My day began with a co-ordination meeting of EU ministers at 8.30am. This provides an opportunity for the Portuguese team, which is leading the talks on behalf of the EU Presidency, to brief us on the state of the discussions. The scale of the task before us – getting agreement on a roadmap for a new international deal on climate change – was clear from what we heard. In the EU, we have adopted a common and consistent approach, which is that a successful outcome at Bali is absolutely vital if we are to get a new deal on climate change in 2009.

Bali, if successful, will deliver the foundation for that deal. It will define the parameters of the deal, and the way in which it will be reached and it will ensure that all countries will play their part.

In the last 24 hours or so, resistance to the proposed agreement has increased among a small number of developed countries, especially towards one element of the proposed Bali agreement. That proposal is that the developed nations will commit in principle to a reduction of between 25 per cent to 40 per cent cut in emissions. The opposing countries claim a commitment like this cannot be made in advance of the detailed discussions to follow Bali.

I fundamentally disagree, as do my EU counterparts. Developed nations like Ireland have contributed most to the problem of climate change in terms of emissions. And if there is to be any chance of a successful world agreement involving large developing countries like China and India, then developed countries must prove the extent of their commitment to tackling climate change.

The formal “high level” session began shortly after 10am. It is called “high level” because it involves ministers and political leader.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the first to speak and he told us that global warming was “the moral challenge of our generation.”

Australia’s new prime minister Kevin Rudd also spoke and he received a loud round of applause when he informed us that he had just signed the Kyoto Treaty, reversing the long-standing Australian policy.

But of all the speakers yesterday morning, I was most impressed by Yvo de Boer, the executive secretary to the UNFCCC, the UN body charged with brokering the new climate change deal. I was struck by his comparison of the lack of action by some governments on tackling climate change with the preparation by the military in those very same countries for conflict caused by the effects of climate change, like fertile land and water shortages.

I was also struck by the video presentation by Professor Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Dr Pachauri is still in Oslo collecting the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the IPCC. However few in the conference hall who watched this genial soft-spoken scientist’s calm presentation of the compelling evidence of climate change could be under any illusion that reductions, starting with the developed nations, have to be made if the worst effects of climate change are to be avoided.

For me today was also an important one, as I had the opportunity to speak at the session on behalf of Ireland. I could do little more than echo what those this morning have said: that climate change is real, that we have a small window of opportunity to tackle it, and that we developed nations have a moral obligation as the worst polluters to lead the way on emissions reductions.

Of course tackling climate change also provides enormous opportunities for our economies to become much more efficient and technologically advanced.

However there is an overriding moral imperative here. We owe it to the tens of millions of people, many yet unborn, who face serious disruption at best, and famine, disease and displacement at worst, because of climate change.
If developed nations fail to deliver an agreement where we make the large cuts, we will be judged harshly by future generations.

Here is the speech I delivered today to heads of state and ministers from around the world.

It has been another good day here at the UN Climate Change Conference. As I said yesterday, the aim of the conference is to reach international consensus on a road map to a new world agreement on climate change.

Although from some of the reaction to my blog, there appears to be more comment on my attire, that is to say, the sandals I was pictured wearing yesterday. I can assure those who have concerns about my sartorial decisions, that I will be ‘suited and booted’ from first thing tomorrow, when the official political discussions begin. And I can also assure you I haven’t been letting the side down on the dress front. So far the dress code has been informal, and for a good reason: making sure that the air conditioning is kept to a minimum! It is 28° in Bali today, with humidity approaching 90%.

To date the detailed work at the conference has been carried out by officials in what are called working groups. But the jackets and ties return tomorrow when the ministers and political leaders become directly involved. It has meant that I have not become personally involved in official discussions yet. That begins tomorrow.

So today I took the opportunity to meet the Irish voluntary organisations and charities (NGOs) who are also attending the conference. NGOs have played a vital role in the evolution of international climate change and environmental policy. Irish NGOs have a strong presence here in Bali. They include Niamh Garvey of Trocaire, Mark Ruttledge of Feasta, Pat Finnegan of Grian, Fr Sean McDonagh of the Columban Missionaries, and Declan Murphy from the Ecology Foundation.

I know many of the above personally and I have huge admiration for their work on and commitment to tackling climate change. I found the meeting extremely useful to have a wide ranging discussion on many of the subjects at the core of the climate change agenda for Ireland.

Issues of primary concern which they outlined to me include what Ireland will do in terms of reduction carbon emissions post-Kyoto. The development agenda, and how developing countries can be assisted rather than hindered by any climate change deal, was also a priority. Almost all of the NGOs also highlighted to me the issue of climate change awareness in Ireland, and the need to do much more to heighten awareness about it, and what individuals, business and communities can and should be doing.

We will of course be rolling out our awareness campaign early next year, and I am hopeful that the Irish NGOs will have an essential role in this.

I also met representatives of Greenpeace today. The campaign group is probably best known for their campaign against nuclear energy, but Greenpeace has a much wider agenda than that. They were particularly keen to talk to myself and the officials from the Department of the Environment about our proposed new minimum energy efficiency standards for light bulbs, which will see the end to the use of traditional light bulbs.

I announced plans for this at the Carbon Budget last week. It will be implemented in 2009 and will hopefully result in savings of more than 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

The replacement bulbs such as CFLs and LEDs, may be more expensive, but even in the short term the measure will result in people actually saving money through lower electricity bills and the longer life of new technology bulbs. All-told householders could save in excess of €185 million in reduced electricity bills every year.

Greetings from Bali.

Bali is one of larger islands among the thousands that make up Indonesia. And from the little I have seen of it since I arrived yesterday evening, it is truly beautiful. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in South East Asia and it is easy to understand why so many tourists flock here. Unfortunately I will have very little time on this trip to see much of the island. Having seen and heard the weather reports in Ireland in recent days, I know there will be little sympathy for me having to work for the duration of my stay on this tropical island paradise. However I am, along with counterparts from around the world, here in Bali for a very, very important reason.

Bali is playing host to a major UN conference on climate change, arguably one of the most important meetings on the subject to have ever taken place. I’m one of more than 200 ministers and prime ministers who will attend the conference over the next five days. And I am very glad, indeed honoured, to be representing Ireland at this conference.

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I’m on the way back from a meeting with Commissioner Dimas in Brussels. I asked for the meeting following my examination of infringement proceedings against Ireland. It’s serious. We could well be facing fines for years of neglect of EU directives. I have to turn this around in a very short space of time.

I had hoped to use this weekend to canvass for the leadership. Unfortunately, I’ve discovered that many members have voted already. In most cases they have voted for Patricia thinking that I had it in the bag. It’s called safe seat syndrome and I know all about it from the General Election. Unless I can get those who have not bothered to vote yet to vote for me, Patricia will be Green Party leader on Tuesday next.

The biggest issue I have had to deal with the in my first few days in office has been the M3 motorway. I spent all day Friday, right up until 11pm, Saturday morning and even parts of Sunday talking to archaeologists and legal people. I phoned the Attorney General at his home on Saturday. The official legal advice confirms that my hands are tied in this instance, despite what certain opposition parties are claiming.

I will be meeting some of the top archaeologists this week to discuss the best way forward under the present circumstances. I have assured them that they have an open door in my Department from now on.

Because of the intensity of the negotiations I have not had time to do my blog for some time. We remained tight-lipped throughout which helped to build and maintain trust. However, it did prompt a bout of media speculation. Trevor was just on the phone saying that one of the commentators was on RTÉ at lunchtime expressing the view that Dan and I wanted the deal. This is total nonsense. I was uneasy all day Thursday and recommended we break off negotiations. This was accepted unanimously by the refrerence group.

This is a time of real nerves. Our tallies and indeed those of the Labour Party show Lucinda Creighton and Ruairi Quinn taking the first two seats. Yet the spin out there is that Ruairi’s in trouble. He’s not. If anything he’s cleaning up at my expense. Yesterday’s canvass confirmed that. It’s not helped by the fact that the pundits, who get their information from party spin merchants, make pronouncements on TV and radio, which voters believe. Their predictions affect voter behaviour.

Let’s get it straight: all the evidence shows right now that FG and Labour will take the first two seats. After that, it’s a battle between FF, PD and Green for the last two seats. More than likely the last seat is between Michael McDowell and myself – something that would not have seemed credible 3 weeks ago. What a strange business.

By the way, I don’t get any hint at all of this massive surge to FF. If anything, there is a huge anti-government swing. I genuinely hope we can get an alternative government when the votes are counted.

I raised the issue of the smell from the Ringsend sewage treatment plant – which was bad in the third week of March - at a meeting with the City Manager on Friday last. Matt Twomey, the Assistant City Manager, insisted that the smell problem had been dealt with and that the tenders for the proposed extension were now being finalised. I know from my conversations with the engineers there that this is largely a capacity problem. The plant was actually running at full capacity when it was commissioned. Dick Roche has refused repeatedly to conduct an investigation into how such a fundamental error could occur. This is the same man who wanted an investigation into the Galway drinking water problem – although he seems to have gone quiet on the investigation idea over the weekend. An investigation would reveal a lot about the workings of his department and their role in the drinking water problem not just in Galway but elsewhere. Bad planning is the root cause of these problems, and our Minister for the Environment has allowed this laissez faire planning to continue in the country.

The real solution to the odour problem in Ringsend is to extend the existing plant and to build a series of smaller plants elsewhere in the city. As we have seen first-hand here, the mega engineering solution does not work. In fairness, I recall my former colleague, Cllr Claire Wheeler, making this point at the time.

I also raised the issue of the inadequate protection for the new playgrounds in Ringsend Park. The Manager promised that he would look into this.