The Irish Programme for Government gives a commitment to maintain and build on this policy up to the year 2000. The programme is estimated to increase CO 2 absorption capacity by 0.8 MTC by the end of the decade. This will provide a substantial counter balance to the expected increase in carbon emissions over the same period. All of the aforementioned measures are backed up by an ongoing programme of research, development and demonstration. Policy is geared towards optimizing technology for the improvement of energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources and the development of cleaner technology.
Irish scientists participate in various programmes on climate related research activities.
The national Environmental Protection Agency also has a major role in preparing environmental research programmes and the co-ordination of such research. Vulnerability Assessment 19. In 1991 the Department of the Environment published a series of studies on the impact of possible climate change for Ireland. These studies covered a number of areas including agriculture, forestry and sea-level changes. The studies were republished in April 1994.