Climate change policy review has begun, says Hogan.

The Irish Times

FRANK McDONALD, Environment Editor

ANOTHER REVIEW of national policy on climate change is under way with a view to charting "an ambitious but realistic way forward", Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has said.

Speaking at the annual Environment Ireland conference in Dublin, he said: "Addressing the threat of climate change is a policy priority at national and EU level, and will remain so until an effective global response is in place."

But his lengthy speech covering a wide range of environmental issues made no mention of climate change legislation to set new targets for Ireland. A spokesman said later that publication of a climate change Bill was "expected in 2012".

By contrast, Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment Alex Attwood - who also addressed the conference - said he was finalising a climate change Bill based on Scotland's, described as "world-class" by Oisín Coghlan of Friends of the Earth.

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