Carbon Neutraliy in the Northern Ireland Assembly

Speech by David Ford MLA delivered to Assembly on Tue 9th Dec 2008

Supporting the motion: "That this Assembly calls upon the Assembly Commission to draw up an action plan aimed at ensuring that all the buildings used by the Northern Ireland Assembly achieve carbon neutrality by 2015," David Ford MLA said:

"It is unusual to have unanimity on such a topic. I, too, welcome the motion. I congratulate my friends Jim Wells and Brian Wilson - since we are not at Westminster, I can call them my friends - for securing the debate. Indeed, it is good to see such an array of DUP supporters of Jim Wells's brave initiative. The House must wait with interest to see how they act during the latter part of the debate.

"It is important that such a motion is taken seriously. During the economic difficulties of the times in which we live, it is absolutely clear and important that the environment must not suffer because of what is perceived will be a short-term economic crisis. Indeed, there are compelling reasons why now is the time to take a strong and positive initiative to move towards carbon neutrality by 2015, if not, regrettably, by 2011.

"It is also interesting to compare what the Assembly does with what is being done by the two bodies with which it, obviously, has most in common - the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales. It seems that both have made considerably greater efforts during the past 10 years of their existence that the Assembly has been able to make so far. Perhaps, that is because the Assembly suffers from having an elderly Building.

"Nevertheless, it can learn a lesson from initiatives that the other legislatures have taken; for example, the work that has been done in Scotland on the use of renewables for heating and electricity - use of solar panels on the Parliament building and an eco-tariff to ensure that its electricity is supplied better. Mr Wells highlighted the use of such measures in his own home. Perhaps, those could be advanced by the Assembly. Other measures are frequently ignored, such as proper water management to ensure that showers and taps are not left turned on, thereby wasting water as, sometimes, happens in this Building.

"A key issue in Edinburgh is that of transport. When a Parliament building is built in the centre of a capital city, that cuts down transport costs for people who seek to visit it. Perhaps, that is why Holyrood is much more successful at attracting visitors than the Assembly. There is a problem with getting public transport into the Stormont estate and, therefore, in getting people who work in the estate to use it. That includes people who work in the Building and MLAs.

"In Cardiff, there are somewhat different issues. One of the Welsh Assembly's key advantages, however, is the fact that there is a sustainability obligation in the Government of Wales Act 1998. The Welsh Assembly has taken that obligation to the point that it wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2012, which is three years ahead of this optimistic motion - although one year behind it had it been tabled originally. There are measures towards reduction in energy use, use of on-site renewables and microgeneration - which is, perhaps, an option for the Northern Ireland Assembly - and carbon offsetting, to which Mr Wells referred.

"As I understand the statistics, the Assembly used five million sheets of paper between its resumption in May 2007 and Christmas 2007. I hate to imagine how many of those sheets were not read or were glanced at briefly, as they could have been glanced at on a computer screen, before being binned. If, a few years ago, Antrim Borough Council could supply every member with a laptop and deliver all papers electronically, I cannot see why it is not possible to run Committee business in this place with Members using laptops and getting papers delivered electronically.

"The waste of staff time that is spent putting together packs and, frequently, repeating papers, week after week, is an utter disgrace. That is a key issue about the simple management of the place, and nothing to do with the problems of an ancient building. That initiative is in our hands. Some measures that have already been highlighted are relatively straightforward and simple. The easiest way to save energy is to switch off electrical appliances, as Jim Wells reminded the House.

"Examples of renewables in other public agencies include the wind turbine at Antrim Area Hospital. It is a classic example of where the Northern Health and Social Care Trust has taken an initiative that has had significant payback. Some people do not believe that a wind turbine would complement the Building: I believe that a turbine at each end of it would improve considerably the look of the place.

"If the Assembly is serious about the institution's responsibility, it must ensure that it sets an example to society. Certainly, the installation of gas heating has improved the Building's carbon footprint when compared with oil heating. I understand, however, that in the Assembly's early days, its heating was controlled by a man in an office in Churchill House. Sometimes, I wonder whether, when Churchill House was demolished, the man disappeared with it. There is still no effective control over what happens in the Building.

"Various options have been mentioned. The motion is not prescriptive, but the Assembly must call on the Commission to respond positively to it."

The motion was resolved by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Related Link:

[Debate in Assembly from Hansard]