GUERNSEY is still failing to meet greenhouse gas emission targets.

Latest figures show a minimal year-on-year reduction, but not enough to indicate that the island will meet its Kyoto Agreement target of a 12.5% reduction on 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012 – unless things change.

One of the biggest contributory factors to emissions is the amount of electricity produced in the island using oil rather than being imported through the cable link because of the cost.

The latest figures cover 2007, just one year before they start counting towards Kyoto.

In June 2008 the States agreed as part of its energy policy to review whether Guernsey Electricity should be allowed to consider emissions and not just cost when choosing which source to use – but there is still no decision on that yet.

Guernsey Electricity managing director Ian Watson said this would be a practical and sensible approach to reducing carbon emissions.

‘There is capacity to import a lot more of the island’s power, but currently we can only do that based on cost and not on environmental benefit. If that changes, we will be able to make better use of the cable link as a means of targeting lower emissions,’ he said.