Climate Change
Read all the lastest news on climate change, and our blogs, actions and updates below.
Climate Justice Begins at Home - what climate justice means for Ireland
Issued in news on April 15, 2013 at 16:17:00.
This event is today, Monday, in Dublin. The event is called "Climate Justice Begins at Home" and takes place at 7.15pm in the Radisson Blu Hotel behind Dublin Castle. Our speakers panel will be Maanda Ngoitiko, a Maasai Pastoralist from Northern Tanzania, Cecilia Kibe Muthoni, the co-ordinator for the Kenya Climate Justice Women Champions, John Brennan, an Irish Organic farmer and Molly Walsh, a Campaigner with Friends of the Earth.
Ms Cecilia Kibe Muthoni-Biography
Issued in news on April 10, 2013 at 16:25:00.
Ms Cecilia Kibe Muthoni Cecilia is the coordinator for the Kenya Climate Justice Women Champions (KCJWC). See: www.kcjwc.org KCJWC is a network for advocacy on gender and climate justice in Kenya. The driving force of the network is the realisation that women are faced by a situation where their ability to adapt is low due to a number of pre‐existing factors, while the share of the adaptation burden falls disproportionately on them. The KCJWC works with civil society and the government to develop strategies to enhance women's capacities and resilience to climate change, including advocacy for greater participation of women and gender mainstreaming in climate change processes and action. Cecilia is also the Convenor of the Conflicts over Natural Resources and Gender Group in the Kenya Climate Change Working Group.
A climate Bill without targets? Practically pointless, says Progressio Ireland
Issued in news on February 28, 2013 at 16:00:00.
Progressio Ireland expresses "extreme disappointment" with the weak climate bill that has been published today.
"We are extremely disappointed with the draft Heads of Bill we see published today." said Dr Judith Turbyne, director of Progressio Ireland. "It is too weak to take us where we need to get to, which is a reduction of about 90% in our emissions by 2050. We had hoped for much more. If a target is not included, then ultimately we will be letting down the millions of people who are living at the sharp and
dangerous end of climate change".
Summary of reactions to the Government's Climate Action Bill
Issued in news on February 28, 2013 at 11:55:00.
The Government's Climate Action Bill was published on Tuesday 26th February. Here is a summary of the main reactions.
An Taisce
"The Heads of the Climate Change Bill agreed at Cabinet today represent a gutless reaction to tackling Ireland's greenhouse emissions problem. The lack of targets means that this is a toothless bill."
Professor John Sweeney, President of An Taisce The National Trust for Ireland stated "After procrastinating for over a year by the expedient measure of commissioning the NESC Secretariat (not the full NESC Council) to deliver supportive recommendations, the proposals will completely lack substance or any significant effective steps to address the scale of the issues concerned."
Green Party says, Two years of drift leads to a Climate Bill which gives us the worst of both worlds.
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:59:00.
Without 2030 targets the new Climate Advisory Board will have no powers to drive Government action.
Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said today: "After two years of drift on climate policy, we have ended up with the worst of both worlds."
Government climate Bill is like "window dressing while your house is on fire" - Friends of the Earth
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:15:00.
Government climate Bill too weak to deliver low-carbon Ireland
A climate Bill with no targets is like "a compass with no needle"
Friends of the Earth has described the Government's Climate Action Bill, published today, as "window dressing while your house is on fire". Minister Hogan restated today that this Government intends "to deliver more on addressing climate change than any of his predecessors". According to the the environmental campaigning organisation, however, the Bill is simply a rehash of the Fianna Fail / Green Party Bill with all the targets taken out. The draft Bill now goes to the Oireachtas environment committee which will consult stakeholders and report to Government on how to improve the Bill.
Oisín Coghlan, Friends of the Earth Director, commented:
IBEC welcomes Ireland's draft climate legislation
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, today welcomed the publication by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government of draft legislation designed to enable Ireland's long-term transition to a prosperous low-carbon economy.
Commenting on the Heads of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, and on an associated report from the National Economic and Social Council*, IBEC Head of Energy and Environment Policy Dr Neil Walker said: "The Irish business community broadly agrees that any national climate legislation should focus on how best to achieve our existing and future EU-mandated targets. This reflects the reality that the EU has for some time been the principal forum for negotiation of legally binding Member State targets.
Climate Bill Not Strong Enough to Stop Climate Chaos Affecting Most Vulnerable. says Afri
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
Justice and peace organisation, Afri, today called the government publication of the heads of a Climate Bill as deeply disappointing as it fails to meet key requirements for the effective tackling of climate change.
Afri is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition which has repeatedly called on the government to publish a strong bill which has legally binding emission reduction targets, five-year carbon budgets that meet up to these targets; carbon targets to be met domestically, without purchasing overseas carbon credits, and the establishment of an independent climate change commission to advise Government, with the power to publish its own reports.
A climate Bill without targets won't provide certainty, says Stop Climate Chaos
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
Climate coalition slams proposed legislation as "too weak to work".
Stop Climate Chaos, the coalition of 27 groups working together on climate change have expressed frustration at the weakness of draft climate legislation published today. Their main concern is that the proposed legislation doesn't have targets for reductions in carbon emissions.
Responding to the draft Heads of Bill, Sorley McCaughey from Christian Aid said,
"This Bill doesn't have what is needed to be effective. Without a named target for 2050 there isn't certainty surrounding government policy, and the legislation won't deliver a low carbon Ireland. It is simply too weak to work."
Corporate Leaders disappointed at lack of 2050 target in Government climate Bill
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
Irish Corporate Leaders on Climate Change welcomed the publication of an outline climate Bill but expressed disappointment that the draft did not contain a 2050 target for Ireland's emissions. Corporate Leaders support the inclusion of the EU objective for 2050 of emissions reductions of at least 80%.
A spokesperson for the group said "A Climate Bill without a 2050 target will not will bring the clarity and certainty to government policy that business needs to make the long-term investment decisions needed to move to a low-carbon economy."
"Moreover, we believe that robust action on climate change will in fact help create a smarter, more competitive, more creative economy, deliver new high quality jobs, and set us on a path to a low-carbon, sustainable recovery."
Climate Change Legislation gives Agri-Sector a Realistic Chance of Achieving Food Harvet Targets
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
IFA President John Bryan has described the legislation on climate change announced today (Tues) by the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan as a 'realistic set of proposals that can allow the agri-food sector to achieve the targets set down in Food Harvest 2020'.
However, John Bryan said that the bar is set too high in looking for carbon neutrality for agriculture. "There has to be a fundamental review of the existing accounting method for agriculture on a global level that factors in food security and food miles. Any new model must identify the lower levels of carbon emission associated with the method of sustainable food production in countries like Ireland, and how it compares favourably with other food-producing regions around the world. For example, beef production in Ireland has an emission rate that is 50% lower than Brazil, making it far more efficient."
He said, "The model must recognise the carbon sinks in forestry and grassland, and not allowing the energy sector to take credit for the emission reductions from carbon neutral energy crops such as willows and miscanthus. It also means putting in place viable REFIT tariffs for renewable energy product".
IFA's Climate Change Project Team Jer Bergin said, "There are important sustainability initiatives taking place which will support growth in the agri-food sector in Ireland. Bord Bia's Quality Beef Assurance Scheme and Origin Green initiative, Glanbia's sustainability initiative, Teagasc's carbon navigator and IFA's resource efficiency collaboration with the EPA, Teagasc, UCD and the SEAI are all important measures aimed at reducing emissions from the sector".
However these sustainability initiatives must be focused on delivering improved returns for farmers, with real price incentives for participating farmers, as well as environmental improvements.
Government is trying to run from the science – but it can’t hide from it, says An Taisce
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
The employment growth in the green economy, so desperately needed, will not be happen with such a lame bill.
The Heads of the Climate Change Bill agreed at Cabinet today represent a gutless reaction to tackling Ireland's greenhouse emissions problem. The lack of targets means that this is a toothless bill.
On a per capita basis Ireland is one of the worst greenhouse gas emitters in the world and bears a responsibility, more than most, to address this.
Climate Bill a 'lame effort' says Christian Aid
Issued in news on February 26, 2013 at 16:00:00.
Christian Aid today described the Heads of Bill for the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill as a 'lame effort', and accused the government of having fluffed their lines.
The international development agency also expressed concern at how such a weak Bill might be perceived internationally.
'The decision to go without targets is hard to fathom. Minister Hogan conducted extensive consultations over the last two years in preparing for this Bill. 90% of those consulted expressed support for targets for the years 2030 and 2050 to be enshrined in law, but when the moment came, Minister Hogan opted to ignore their view', Sorley McCaughey, Head of Policy and Advocacy at Christian Aid said.
Six Tests for the Government's Climate Change Bill Analysis of stakeholder demands launched at briefing in Dáil
Issued in news on February 20, 2013 at 11:07:00.
Friends of the Earth today launched an analysis of what stakeholders think are the key elements of effective climate legislation. Last week the Government delayed the publication of its draft climate Bill by two weeks. The environmental justice organisation launched its "Six Tests for the Government's Climate Change Bill" to coincide with a briefing for TDs in Leinster House on the threat of climate change locally and globally.
Speaking before the event, Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan said:
"The Government seems unsure of the merits of its own Bill and has delayed publication. In the interests of clarity and fairness we're laying out today the six things stakeholders have identified as essential to an effective climate law"
6 Tests for the Government's Climate Change Bill
Issued in publications on February 20, 2013.
As we wait for the Government's Climate Change Bill to be finalised and published, this document sets out the elements of legislation that various stakeholders have identified over the last six years as being key to its effectiveness.
These then will be the six tests of the strength of a Climate Change Bill
- Is there a 2050 target? Is it 80%?
- Are there interim targets? Are they "Carbon Budgets"?
- Is there an independent expert advisory council?
- Does the Bill place overall responsibility for climate policy on the Taoiseach? (Or move climate from the Dept of Env. to Dept of Energy?)
- Does the Bill provide for a limit on the use of carbon credits (offsets)?Does the Bill cover emissions from the whole economy (including ETS)?
