Blog Archive
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
TD Lobby for Faster and Fairer Climate Action
Posted on November 24, 2020 by Oisín Coghlan
Join Ireland’s biggest online TD Lobby for Faster and Fairer Climate Action!
Talking to your TDs is a powerful way to act on the climate crisis and right now there is so much to talk about.
If 1000+ people across Ireland meet their TDs online it will have a serious effect on how our government acts on climate.
So, are you up for it?
You'll be supported by Stop Climate Chaos and people in your local area.
You don't need to be an expert, you just need to turn up!
How does it work?
1. Register for the TD Lobby by clicking here. This will let you receive a Zoom link that you can use to join the lobby on the day.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
We’re making a kid’s book about climate!
Posted on November 09, 2020 by Claudia Tormey
We have some exciting news to share with you!
Together with Little Island book publishers, Ashley House printers and author Oisín McGann, we’re going to make Ireland’s most eco friendly children’s book titled; “A Short and Hopeful Guide to Climate Change”. And we need your help!
Today we’re launching a crowdfunder to raise €15,000!
All funds raised through this campaign will go directly into making this book. When the books hit bookshop shelves in the new year 10% of book sales will be donated to Friends of the Earth to support our work on climate. Can you donate to help make this happen?
Permanent link | Categories:
Climate justice webinar: watch it back + some more opportunities for learning and action
Posted on October 30, 2020 by Deirdre Duff
On Wednesday 28th October, we hosted a webinar to explore the concept of climate justice. Climate justice is a term that has been bandied around a lot lately - but we wanted to dig into what it really means. We’ve recorded the webinar so you can watch it back at your leisure. It’s just over an hour in length and comes highly recommended as we had some excellent speakers and panellists from the world of climate justice, who joined us to talk about their work and activism.
Permanent link | Categories: activism • climatechange • Education • Learning Hub • Webinars
Explore our Climate Justice Read and Watch List
Posted on October 23, 2020 by Deirdre Duff
Ahead of our webinar on Climate Justice next Wednesday, 28th October (which you can register for here) we’ve compiled a read and watch list on climate justice that we’d love you to explore! So as the days draw shorter, why not curl up with a hot drink and pick something to read or watch from this list - it's got a bunch of articles, videos and even a documentary film on the subject of climate justice. A few weeks after Wednesday's webinar, we'll organise a more in-depth workshop to explore the ideas that unpin climate justice in more detail. Exploring our read and watch list would be good preparation for that event too.
Permanent link | Categories: activism • climatechange • learning hub • book club
Close the loopholes in the Climate Bill
Posted on October 23, 2020 by Oisín Coghlan
It’s hard to believe but Ireland could have a strong climate law before the year is out.
For the first time ever - and after years of campaigning - this is actually a distinct possibility. But - and this is what fills me with dread - there’s also a chance that this climate law could end up unfit for purpose.
Friends of the Earth, working with our partners in the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, have identified some very concerning loopholes in the climate law’s draft text. Loopholes that could undermine the law’s ability to drive emission reductions.
Permanent link | Categories: climatechange
A Shared Vision of a Just Recovery
Posted on October 19, 2020 by Oisín Coghlan
In recent weeks, Friends of the Earth was privileged to be involved in an amazing collaboration to produce “A Shared Vision for a Just Recovery”. This was published just before the budget last week and endorsed by 14 national coalitions and 50+ organizations from all sectors of Irish civil society, from trade unions to women’s and youth advocates, to community and homelessness organizations.
Together we laid out six principles for a fair and sustainable recovery from the social and economic shock of the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more here.
Introducing the joint statement to the media, I commented:
“The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world upside down. It has exposed not only major weaknesses in Ireland’s economy and health services but also deep-seated inequalities.
Permanent link | Categories:
