Climate Change
Read all the lastest news on climate change, and our blogs, actions and updates below.
Climate Justice talk with activists from El salvador and Liberia
Issued in news on January 25, 2012 at 15:27:00.
Friends of the Earth and Trocaire will host a public talk on Climate Justice and Community Rights with by Ricardo Navarro (Friends of the Earht El Salvador) and Silas Siakor(Friends of the Earth Liberia). The talk will take place on Monday the 6th of February at 6.30pm in the Central Hotel in Dublin. Both are internationally renowned environmntalists in thier own right and Goldman environmental prize winners for work in thier home countries. These awards are described as "the Nobel Prize for grassroots environmentalism" and we are lucky to be able to hear from them both.
Environment Committee welcomes key role in climate policy roadmap
Issued in news on January 25, 2012 at 14:18:00.
The Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht has welcomed the new roadmap for the development of national policy and legislation on climate change and the central role the Committee will play in the policy development process.
Committee Cathaoirleach Ciarán Lynch, TD said: "The roadmap which was been published by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan following a request from the Committee brings clarity to the issue of developing policy and legislation on climate change. The Committee has been very proactive in forcing the pace on this legislation.
Friends of the Earth welcomes Phil Hogan's climate roadmap
Issued in news on January 23, 2012 at 19:18:00.
Minister plans to introduce climate legislation by the end of next year.
Friends of the Earth has welcomed the publication today of a detailed "Roadmap for Climate Policy and Legislation" by Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan.
Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan, said
"This timeline lacks urgency, it's climate policy for slow learners. But it does set out a step-by-step plan to pass climate legislation by the end of 2013. The roadmap provides welcome clarity about the Government's commitment to passing a climate law and outlines the opportunities for public participation in its development".
The Roadmap commits to the following steps:
Hogan issues Roadmap for Climate Policy and Legislation
Issued in news on January 23, 2012 at 17:43:00.
DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENT PRESS RELEASE
Today, 23 January 2012, Minister Phil Hogan, T.D., issued a work programme setting out the steps and milestones for the development of national climate policy and legislation.
The programme of work was today also sent to the Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht as part of the follow-up to the Minister's meeting with the Committee in December. In issuing the work programme, the Minister said, "I foresee a central role for the Joint Committee in the policy development process, most importantly on the critical issue of coming to a clear national understanding of how we will meet our binding EU and wider-international mitigation commitments, as well as pursuing our national objectives in a low-carbon global economy." This role for the Committee was also reflected in the Government's legislative programme for the Spring 2012 parliamentary session.
The work programme for policy development, including legislation covers the next 18 months (copy attached). The principal milestones include:
- a public consultation which will take place in the first half of 2012;
- in the second half of the year, the publication of an initial report by the NESC Secretariat on potential climate policies and measures (to be completed by end June 2012) and the development of heads of a Climate Bill for consideration by the Committee following Government approval (end-2012); and
- the consideration of the end-2012 final report by the NESC Secretariat and the heads of Bill by the Committee in the first half of 2013.
The Minister also reiterated his commitment to an open and transparent process involving all stakeholders. "A successful way forward for Ireland lies in structured dialogue on the range of views that exists across society, on an open and inclusive basis, and this will be facilitated at various points in the course of this work programme, beginning with the open consultation I will initiate next month" the Minister said.
DoE Programme for the development of national climate policy and legislation
Issued in publications on January 23, 2012.
Best wishes for 2012 from Friends of the Earth
Issued in news on December 22, 2011 at 14:53:00.
We had an early Christmas present last week in the shape of a promise from Minister Phil Hogan to produce a draft climate Bill in 2012.
Under close questioning from members of the Oireachtas environment committee he said it "is my objective" to send the committee a Bill next year. The committee hailed this commitment in a press release and it was reported in the Irish Times. Minister Hogan promised the committee to come back to them with a detailed "roadmap" to legislation early in the New Year.
It was a good day's work by the committee and ends two months of uncertainty since the Minister indicated he was considering deferring preparation of the climate Bill indefinitely.
Campaign groups welcome Environment Minister's commitment to climate bill next year
Issued in news on December 20, 2011 at 15:30:00.
Phil Hogan's pledge to send Heads of Bill to the Oireachtas committee is "a good step forward."
As the Cabinet Committee on climate change meets today to review progress in 2011, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth, Oxfam and Trocaire have welcomed modest progress in 2011 and are calling for more urgent action next year. Progress this year includes; the commitment to publishing a draft climate bill next year, another installment of Ireland's climate finance commitment and statements that Ireland supports a "justice approach" to tackling climate change.
Environment Committee welcomes Minister Hogan's commitment to climate change law roadmap
Issued in news on December 16, 2011 at 15:26:00.
16th December 2011
The Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht has welcomed a commitment from the Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan, TD to produce a roadmap with regard to the creation of climate change legislation. Heads of the Bill are expected to be introduced before the end of next year.
Committee Chairman Ciarán Lynch, TD said: "We are heartened by the Minister's commitment at our meeting yesterday to provide a roadmap for the introduction of climate change legislation and welcome his pledge to introduce the Heads of the Climate change Bill by the end of 2012.
Is the Environment Minister's cart before his horse?
Issued in the blog on December 15, 2011 at 22:29:00.
Environment Minister Phil Hogan appeared before the Environment committee this afternoon. I find it rather strange to say he "appeared before them". But this phrasing is how people generally describe it when a minister goes in to talk to a committee, especially if he is invited. It brings to my mind images of gable walls and miraculous visions. So there he was anyway, a vision of joviality. He didn't however have any particularly healing words to impart. The Environment committee had hauled him in to clear up some uncertainty caused by his remarks about climate legislation at the end of October. At the time it was reported that the minister had said climate legislation was not a priority for him. As can be expected he was criticised widely for this. For a particularly to the point criticism you should listen to Professor of climatology John Sweeney's interview on drivetime. (It starts about one hour and fifty minutes in)
Outrage as minister confirms no Climate Change Bill in 2012
Issued in news on December 15, 2011 at 17:24:00.
Outrage as minister confirms no Climate Change Bill in 2012
Hogan to "clarify" his position to Oireachtas environment committee
Issued in news on December 15, 2011 at 13:39:00.
Hogan to "clarify" his position to Oireachtas environment committee
The Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, is appearing before the Oireactas environment committee this afternoon to "clarify" his position on climate legislation, and to discuss a timetable for a Bill. The committee issued an invitation to the minister after confusion and uncertainty arose from his remarks last month that suggested work on a climate law could be delayed by a year or more. Friends of the Earth has called on the Minister to announce that he will publish climate legislation without delay.
Commenting Friends of the Earth Director, Oisin Coghlan, said
What happened in Durban?
Issued in news on December 14, 2011 at 13:03:00.
Asssessment by Oisin Coghlan, Director, Friends of the Earth Ireland
The outcome in Durban was nowhere near enough to contain climate change. New legally emissions targets won't come into force until 2020, and in the meantime the voluntary pledges up to 2020 leave us on a track to between 3 and 4C of global warming, when scientists say anything over 2 is dangerous.
The Friends of the Earth International analysis, which you can read here, reflects that stark reality.
Stop Climate Chaos to 'blow off steam' at the Dáil
Issued in news on November 24, 2011 at 17:07:00.
Vuvuzela protest urges Minister to set date for climate law as he travels to UN climate talks in South Africa
Members and supporters of Stop Climate Chaos will be blowing hundreds of Vuvuzelas, the horns made famous at the 2010 Football World Cup in South Africa, outside the Dáil tomorrow, Thursday 24th November at 1pm. Ahead of the UN Climate Change Summit in Durban this December, the coalition of Irish civil society organisations are 'blowing off steam' to express their frustration at the slow pace of political action to combat climate change. We are calling on Irish and international decision makers not to leave the future to chance.
Vuvuzela protest- Climate change blows
Issued in news on November 24, 2011 at 11:19:00.
Come and make some noise with us! Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan prepares to travel to Durban in South Africa for the UN conference on Climate Change at the end of this month. Stop Climate Chaos want to send him off knowing climate change matters to people. Come down to the Dáil on Kildare St, Thursday the 24th of November at 1pm and join the call.
As Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan has caused confusion and uncertainty with his remarks surrounding whether or not the climate change bill is a priority for him. We need him to commit to publishing a climate bill and sending it to the Environment committee early next year.
Take our email action to the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change here.
Trocaire: Climate change climb-down “a short-sighted betrayal of the world’s poor”
Issued in news on November 04, 2011 at 16:58:00.
Indications by Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, that climate legislation will be put on the long finger is "a shocking climb-down from previous commitments and a short-sighted betrayal of the world's poor", said Trócaire.
