Our climate change campaign
Climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity. Getting Ireland to rise to that challenge and play its part in preventing climate chaos is the focus of our campaigning work. Friends of the Earth is running a major campaign to get the Oireachtas to pass legislation that gives our emissions targets the force of law and hardwires action and accountability to achieve them into the political system.
Internationally, 2009 is a crunch year for action on climate change. In December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to agree a new global deal to succeed the Kyoto Protocol. John Gormley will represent Ireland at this landmark summit.
The good news is that US president Obama takes the climate issue seriously. The bad news is that at this crucial moment of opportunity Europe is wobbling, and the immediate economic crisis is crowding all other issues off the agenda.
Picture for big ask tour
Our political representatives are missing the even greater ecological crisis beneath. Poorly understood risk, weak regulation and short-termism led to the financial crash. We must not repeat those mistakes now. If we let the climate crisis become a climate crash there is no way back. Nature doesn't do bailouts.
Here in Ireland we are still overshooting our Kyoto target. Recent emissions reductions are not due to any concerted government action but to recession. As soon as growth ticks up again emissions will take off once more. We need to re-design our economy for the 21st century not just re-boot it.
Friends of the Earth believes that the cornerstone of a low-carbon recovery is a climate protection act. Putting our long-term targets into law will give certainty to businesses and households. A law is the best way to make sure all departments across government and all governments across time take climate change seriously and take action consistently.
Our message to Minister Gormley is "Don't go to Copenhagen without doing your homework. Change the law at home before you try to change the world." Please join our campaign for a climate protection law in Ireland and a strong, fair deal in Copenhagen. A deal that puts us on the path to a safe climate and a sustainable future.
Help us to achieve this by playing your part
>>Take an e-action now
>>Find out how to get involved
>>Read why we need a law.
>>Read how a climate law would work.
>>See who supports a law.
