Blog Archive
This could be our last chance to improve the Climate Bill before it becomes law.
Posted on June 02, 2015 by Oisín Coghlan
I've just heard that Minister Alan Kelly will debate changes to the Climate Bill with a committee of key TDs in just 7 days time.
Please tell Minister Kelly to strengthen the Bill.
Alan Kelly has told the Dáil he is considering possible amendments to the draft law. We need to make sure the changes aren't just window dressing, that they actually make the law stronger, by clearly indicating how much we plan to reduce emissions by 2050, by ensuring that the independence of the Expert Advisory Body is explicitly guaranteed and by committing to climate justice as a guiding principle.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
I'm chairing this Public Meeting in Buswells this evening ...
Posted on February 10, 2015 by Oisín Coghlan
I'm chairing what should be a great panel discussion on the Climate Bill and climate justice this evening, Tuesday 10th, at 6.30pm in Buswells Hotel in Molesworth Street, across from Leinster House.
Speakers include:
=> Lidy Nacpil - Convenor of the Philippines Movement for Climate Justice.
=> Niamh Garvey - Trocaire's Environmental Justice Policy Officer
=> Prof. Barry McMullin - Chair of the An Taisce Climate Change Committee
Nevermind us Irish NGO-types, it's really worth coming to hear Lidy. She is a hugely experienced international campaigner on economic justice issues and was International Coordinator of Jubilee South for 9 years. She continues to work on tax and debt justice as well as climate. You can see videos of Lidy in action here.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
Our great 2015 calendar is now available. And Happy New Year from all in Friends of the Earth.
Posted on January 05, 2015 by Oisín Coghlan
We think our 2015 Calendar is our best yet. Check it out here.
You can buy it online now for just €12.
It features stunning photos of Greenland by photographer Daragh Muldowney. He says of his trip:
"For me, it is a pursuit of beauty, a continuous search for inspiring visions of Nature. Greenland is a place of raw and abundant beauty, one of the few truly wild places left on our planet."
We're thrilled Daragh has given us 13 of his spectacluar images for our 2015 Calendar. You can see the full calendar here.
It's yours for just €12. And if you want a few for friends we'll give you 5 for €50!
Happy New Year from everyone in the Friends of the Earth office.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • energy • christmas • 2015 • calendar • Lima • COP • UNFCCC
John Sweeney's final thoughts from Lima.
Posted on December 15, 2014 by John Sweeney
The pattern of These UN Climate Conferences is similar almost every year. Initial optimism gives way to deadlock. The clock is stopped and the conference is extended into Saturday when an agreement of sorts is produced under time pressure from departing delegates. So it was this week. When deadlock was evident on Thursday night the Peruvian President of the COP, Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal worked feverishly behind the scenes to rescue talks which had become increasingly bitter. A compromise draft on Saturday was again rejected mainly by the developing country blocs. US delegate Todd Stern warned that the entire UN structure on tackling climate change was at risk. The prospects of the conference paving the way for an ambitious deal in Paris in 2015 seemed remote.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • UNFCCC • COP • COP20 • Lima
Al Gore, Alex White and the Peruvian Irish - Wednesday at the Lima climate talks, by John Sweeney
Posted on December 10, 2014 by John Sweeney
In the aftermath of the disaster that was the Copenhagen climate summit in 2009 (COP15 in the jargon, the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN climate treaty), there were those that thought the COP meetings would gradually dwindle to insignificance as austerity and powerful vested interests conspired to de-prioritize concerns about climate change in many developed countries. Increased awareness of the appalling human costs of extreme events in the developing world and of the major economic impacts of such events in the developed world have however resurrected sensitivities. This has been further heightened by the growing scientific evidence of the IPCC and the championing of aspects such as climate justice by enlightened individuals such as Ireland’s Mary Robinson. European leadership during the dark days was also important in sustaining the faltering steps of international efforts such as the Kyoto Protocol. As the COP meetings of recent years have built an architecture which may yet lead to a comprehensive global agreement next year, so also have the annual meetings become foci for increased activity.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • cop • unfccc • cop20 • lima
Everything you need to know about the UN climate talks in Lima, Peru.
Posted on December 10, 2014 by Oisín Coghlan
Ministers from around the world are in Lima, Peru this week to negotiate the outline of a global deal to tackle climate change.
Prof John Sweeney, Ireland's leading climate scientist, is there as an observer on the Irish Government delegation. We're posting his reflections on our Blog. Here's a taster from his take on yesterday's proceedings:
"The star of the show today was once again President Evo Morales from neighbouring Bolivia. Now in his third term, this first President of Bolivia to emerge from the indigenous population, Evo has always been a fiery and compelling orator and his speech today did not disappoint."
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • UNFCCC • COP • COP20 • Lima
Planetary passion versus protecting the national interest. Tuesday at the UN climate talks
Posted on December 09, 2014 by John Sweeney
Tuesday of the second week is when the big guns come to town. The ground having been prepared for them by their officials, the Presidents, Prime Ministers and Ministers arrive to strut their stuff. Entourages sweep rapidly by the onlookers into various rooms as the multiple strands of the COP begin to either knit together or unravel in disharmony. It is too early yet to say which will be the fate of COP20 but certainly the commencement of the “High Level Ministerial Events” is also designed to inject urgency into the proceedings.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • cop • unfccc • cop20 • lima
Can youthful idealism help bridge the global trust gap at UN climate talks asks John Sweeney
Posted on December 08, 2014 by John Sweeney
Climatically, Lima is to some extent the southern hemisphere counterpart of San Francisco, though considerably nearer the Equator. Like the Californian Current, the cold Peruvian Current ensures overcast and humid conditions generally prevail and Lima is well noted for its lack of sunshine. When the summer sun is warm enough, however, to burn off the low clouds in the marine layer, quite hot conditions can develop during the middle of the day. Week 2 at COP20 is experiencing just such a spell with temperatures a few kilometres inland rising into the high 20s in this city of 10M people. In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of the climate conference, and perhaps focus the minds of delegates on what global warming actually entails, the organisers have sought to minimise air conditioning throughout the venues, many of them prefabs and tented structures. There was thus a certain poignancy to the session on climate change and health where delegates were given advice by the World Health Organisation chairperson as to how to cope with the furnace-like conditions of the room.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • UNFCCC • COP • COP20 • Lima
Young Friends of the Earth Summer Camp in Bulgaria!
Posted on August 26, 2014 by Friends of the Earth
As the new intern with Friends of the Earth, I was delighted to have the opportunity to attend the Young Friends of the Earth Summer Camp in Bulgaria right at the beginning of my internship. Alongside another Irish participant, I travelled to Sofia where we met representatives from Young FoE groups across Europe including Finland, Norway, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lithuania. After a 3 hour bus journey, we arrived at our campsite in the beautiful Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria!
We eagerly set up our tents and were shown around the campsite which included compost toilets and solar showers, before having a delicious vegetarian dinner cooked by the two Bulgarian chefs who looked after us for the whole camp.
Permanent link | Categories: foodandfarming
Alex White, new energy minister, has a key role now in fight against climate change
Posted on July 11, 2014 by Oisín Coghlan
Congrats to Alex White TD on taking over as Miniser for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. A key Department in the fight against climate change.
Here is the Minister speaking as Labour leader in the Seanad, at the end of a debate on the Climate Protection Bill in October 2007, in response to Minister John Gormley and others.
--
Senator Dominic Hannigan: 
I wish to raise a point of order. Reference was made to the Labour Party’s voting record in regard to the Climate Change Targets Bill in November 2005. The record shows clearly that we voted——
Acting Chairman (Labhrás Ó Murchú): A point of order can relate only to procedure and cannot respond to the Minister.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange • labour • climate bill • seanad
