The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture will ask Tynwald later this month to approve a pair of Council of Ministers' reports which identifies the environmental challenges facing the Island and proposes policies to help us respond to them.
The report on the Policy on Sustainable Development and Mitigating Climate Challenges calls for Government policy and decision making to balance the long-term needs of society with the needs of our economy and the environment.
It also sets out where and by how much greenhouse gas emissions will need to be reduced if we are to achieve our agreed target of an 80% reduction of 1990 levels by 2050.
The report highlights that emissions from surface transport, generating electricity and heating buildings will have to be close to zero by 2050, and that sustainable land use practices will be key to ensuring that vast amounts of greenhouse gases are not released into the atmosphere which are currently locked away as carbon in our Island's soils. If approved, the policy would also commit Government to assessing how greenhouse gas emissions from the Island can be reduced and to reviewing progress every five years.
The related report, "Adaptation Policy for our Climate Challenges", explains how climate challenges such as flooding, storm damage and rising sea temperatures affect the Island. It proposes that Government takes steps to reduce risks and maximise benefits by promoting greater awareness of the challenges, and takes any appropriate measures to adapt to the current and future climate. The need for resources to address the impact of extreme temperatures, flooding or drought on human, plant and animal health is recognised in the report.
Richard Ronan MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said:
'These reports clearly build on the policy directions agreed by Tynwald in May 2013. Global developments in technology show a long term shift to low emissions transport; we must be prepared for this transition. One of the most exciting challenges and opportunities for the Island will be in reducing emissions from our current building stock, most of which will still be standing in 2050. We must also ensure that new buildings are designed and constructed to use as little energy as possible and that where energy is required it comes from low emission sources.'
