A guest blog by Donald Pols, director of Milieudefensie / Friends of the Earth Netherlands and chair of Friends of the Earth Europe, originally published by CommonDreams
Blog Archive
13 years is too long for victims of Shell’s oil spills to wait for justice
Posted on February 16, 2021 by Guest Blogger
Justice has finally prevailed for the people of the oil-soaked Niger Delta. On Friday 29th January, after a thirteen-year struggle for redress for lives ruined by oil spills, three Nigerian farmers, supported by Milieudefensie/Friends of the Earth Netherlands, beat one of the world’s most powerful transnational corporations, Shell, in court in the Netherlands.
Across Nigeria’s southern Delta region, people who have never heard of the Court of Appeal in the Hague celebrated with victory parties.
But no victim should have to wait thirteen years for justice. Better laws are needed now to give victims quicker and more effective ways to win remedy.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy
Crunch time for the Climate Law - action time for us all!
Posted on February 12, 2021 by Oisín Coghlan
I’m almost scared to say it out loud - for fear of jinxing things. But here goes anyway….2021 should finally be the year that Ireland gets a new, stronger, Climate Law.
I’ve got to admit, when the draft law was published last autumn I was disappointed. But a huge movement rose up, determined to make this law better. The actions of Friends of the Earth supporters - along with countless other activists, groups and organisations - were immense. Whether you took an e-action, called your TD or took part in the TD Lobby in December, your action has made a real difference.
The Oireachtas Committee tasked with scrutinizing the draft Climate Law really felt our pressure! This Committee has now produced a very good report, with a list of recommendations to strengthen the law. Having this report is a powerful tool in our campaigning tool box. Now we just need to use it! It’s crucial that the Government accepts the report’s recommendations - and addresses some remaining weaknesses in the Bill. So could you email your TDs asking them to ensure the Government does this? The Government will make its final decisions on the Climate Law in the next couple of weeks - so there’s no time to lose!
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • gas
Learning Hub is back in action! Join us for our next event
Posted on February 04, 2021 by Emma-Jayne Geraghty
There’s no doubt about it, January was a long, hard month for many of us. It’s good to see February arrive - with some new hope and slightly brighter days.
We're delighted to announce that the Learning Hub we launched in Autumn 2020 is back in action. Perhaps you attended the first Learning Hub event last October, where the meaning of Climate Justice was explored? If you missed it, you can watch it back here. That first event was based loosely on Mary’s Robinson’s book ‘Climate Justice’.
Permanent link | Categories: activism • climatechange • Learning Hub • Webinars
Have your say on Community Energy - Submit to the Microgeneration Consultation using our handy guide
Posted on February 04, 2021 by Kate Ruddock
We’ve reached a critical juncture in our campaign for renewable, community owned energy. In a matter of months we could finally have a support scheme for small renewable energy microgenerators. But this scheme could end up being very good - or pretty bad. The difference hangs in our collective hands!
We've been campaigning for this type of scheme for years. And now - finally - the Government has agreed that it’s needed!
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy
Watch it Back - Hopeful Chats about Climate Change
Posted on January 13, 2021 by Claudia Tormey
There’s no denying it, the last few weeks have been very difficult. We’re living through a period where every glimmer of hope we can find is precious - and to be treasured. With that in mind, we wanted to share the recording of a webinar that we hosted just before Christmas - Hopeful Chats about Climate Change. People left the webinar feeling very hopeful - and it continues to give us hope when we think back about it now! You can watch it back here in your own time.
Dr Cara Augustenborg did a super job of chairing the discussion and spoke from her own experience as a climate scientist, activist and mother.
Permanent link | Categories: activism • climatechange • webinars
Watch it Back: Let's talk Community Energy
Posted on December 15, 2020 by Deirdre Duff
Earlier this month we hosted a special webinar on community owned renewable energy. Missed it? Well, don’t worry, we recorded it so you can watch it back at this link or in the screen below.
We were delighted to be joined by Molly Walsh from Friends of the Earth Europe. Molly shared some inspiring stories from her new book, Community Energy: A practical guide to reclaiming power - which you can download here.
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy • webinars
Why I'm urging TDs to postpone the vote to ratify CETA, the EU-Canada trade deal
Posted on December 13, 2020 by John Sweeney
The Order of Business for the Dail this week indicates a Government motion on Tuesday 15th to ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada, including its highly controversial mechanism allowing companies to sue an EU member state when they consider their interests are affected by new policies and regulations adopted by a national government. This is a highly significant step which effectively compromises Irish sovereignty and creates a major vulnerability for a country such as Ireland highly dependent on foreign direct investment. Ireland has been able to attract very high levels of foreign direct investment without conceding to such mechanisms, save under the Energy Charter Treaty. Ironically, it therefore is massively exposed if the further elements of the CETA agreement are ratified and come into effect. Accordingly, I am urging TDs to seek a postponement of the vote to enable time for an informed, considered, debate on the merits and implications of ratification, to be held later in 2021.
Permanent link | Categories:
Over 1000 people met their TDs during TD Lobby for Faster and Fairer Climate Action
Posted on December 11, 2020 by Deirdre Duff
The dedication and commitment of constituents from across Ireland made the day!
Over 1000 constituents from across Ireland met their TDs on 7th December during a mass online Lobby for Faster and Fairer Climate Action. They voiced their climate concerns and demanded that loopholes in the 2020 Climate Action Bill be closed.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
Hopeful Chats about Climate Change - Join us for a Webinar
Posted on December 10, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
Talking about climate change can sometimes be hard - talking about it with our children can be even harder!
Join us on Tuesday December 15th at 7pm for a conversation about engaging young people on the topic of climate change and how we can take positive action together.
Register for our Hopeful Chats about Climate Change webinar on 15th December
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • webinars
Let's talk community energy! Webinar and book launch
Posted on November 30, 2020 by Friends of the Earth
Join us for a webinar this week! We'll be launching this stunning handbook for communities from Friends of the Earth Europe, and and exploring the opportunities for Irish communities in the energy transition in 2021 with Minister Eamon Ryan.
Community energy is key to action on the climate crisis, boosting local economies, and reinvigorating communities. We’ve been campaigning for clean, community energy for a long time. It’s been a tough battle at times but things are finally starting to look bright!
Permanent link | Categories: communityenergy • energy
