Climate Actions for Election 2020
Issued in the blog on January 17, 2020 at 16:48:00.
The general election has been called for February 8th. We have three weeks to get everyone across Ireland talking to their local candidates about climate. And we need you to give and do what you can.
We need Faster and Fairer Climate Action
Much Faster: We need to be cutting our climate-polluting emissions by at least 8% a year, not 2% as planned, to make sure we achieve the Paris Agreement
Much Fairer: We need a substantial increase in government investment in public transport, warmer homes and community energy to make zero carbon options available for everyone.
Want more talking points? We've created this list to give you some pointers on what to ask your local candidates.
Renewable Electricity Public Consultation (RESS)
Issued in the blog on January 15, 2020 at 07:00:00.
The Government is consulting with the public on the next renewable electricity support scheme - The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). Ireland can meet only about 30% of its electricity needs from renewables, so we really really need a new support scheme to allow more renewable electricity projects to get built. This scheme would support 3,330 GWhrs of renewable electricity onto the Irish market from onshore wind, solar, hydro, waste to energy, biomass CHP and biogas CHP.
The details of the scheme can be found here, and submissions are requested by email to ress@dccae.gov.ie by 5pm, 17th February.
NGOs accuse EU Commission of breaking Climate Rules over Shannon LNG
Issued in news on December 16, 2019 at 12:00:00.
EU Commission accused of breaking Climate laws on very day President announces European Green Deal
The future for new fracking gas terminals across Europe at risk once again
Representatives from NGO’s in Europe and the United States have formally accused the EU Commission of breaking its own rules when it approved support for fracked gas import terminals across Europe. The groups have formally requested a review of the decision from the Director General Commissioner of Energy over concerns that the construction on new gas infrastructure to facilitate trade deals with the United States would wreak havoc on the global climate.
Patagonia Match Giving
Issued in the blog on December 14, 2019 at 10:31:00.
Every €1 you donate will turn into €4 when it comes to us through Patagonia's Match Giving until December 31st!
We want to turn your quadrupled euros into clean, renewable energy, generated right from the roof of schools all over Ireland.
Our Solar Schools project is putting solar panels on schools, to show that energy can and should be community powered. This is an exciting project, but it's only allowing us to do so much. Your donations matched by Patagonia mean we can go bigger and better to unlock renewables in Ireland.
This is an opportunity too good to miss. We can run Ireland on renewables, but we need this boost.
Christmas Gift Pack
Issued in the blog on December 01, 2019 at 09:30:00.
This Christmas gift your loved (or yourself) a Friends of the Earth present!
For every donation of €50 or more we'll send you or your friend a gift pack including a Friends of the Earth reusable cup, a copy of Greta Thunberg's book ‘No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference’ and an Irish handmade beeswax candle.
Donate before Dec 18th to receive your gift pack before Christmas, otherwise we'll send it out in January!
Thank you for everything.
Winter Solstice Sunrise Sea Swim
Issued in the blog on November 29, 2019 at 17:37:00.
Don't you just love a challenge!
Join our next Sunrise Sea Swim on the Winter Solstice, connect with nature and our growing community.
This event is free, register at the link to connect with other sunrise sea swimmers!
For the Love of Solar - Schools Competition open TODAY!!
Issued in news on November 21, 2019 at 16:26:00.
The Friends of the Earth Solar Schools competition opened today, Thursday 21st November with Minister for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O'Connor and the new Chair of Eirgrid Brendan Tuohy.
Winning schools will receive solar panels designed and installed on the roof of their school with a 90% grant, allowing them to generate clean, free, renewable electricity to power their whiteboards, photocopiers and computers right from their roof. Schools all over the country are invited to take part by coming up with an idea for a local project on Climate Action.
Many thanks to the students from Scoil Naomh Eoin, St Colmans College and St Colmcille's Community School for coming along to tell us about their climate action projects over the last year.
Just Transition
Issued in the blog on November 14, 2019 at 09:47:00.
In the last six months we have stepped up our collaboration with the trade union movement on the issue of Just Transition.
Just Transition is is the principle that there needs to be plan to support the workers and communities affected by the transition away from very polluting industry.
The most high profile example in Ireland is the peat-fired power stations in the midlands. We have campaigned against the peat stations since they were opened in 2005. For years we did so without any reference to what the process should look like for the workers who would lose their jobs. That was a mistake on our part.
Our schools are finally going solar!
Issued in the blog on November 12, 2019 at 12:14:00.
Upperchurch National School in Tipperary is the first Friends of the Earth Solar School. Panels were installed over the Halloween mid term break, and the school is now generating its own electricity right from its roof!!
We have four more to go in Dublin, Limerick, Mayo and the Aran Islands. We think every school should be a solar school by 2025, and we are lobbying hard at Government to support this.
And they are listening! Minister Murphy has committed to changing the planning regulations, so schools dont have to apply for planning permission which they do at the moment for even one solar panel AND the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland have disclosed they will be offering grants for solar panels for schools from next year.
We have to fight every fight.
Issued in the blog on November 11, 2019 at 10:48:00.
The Climate Emergency exposes our politician’s true motivations. It’s easy for the Irish Government to say stoping climate change is a priority. But when actions have the opposite effect, those words are lies.
The Irish Government recently supported a proposal to build a Liquified Natural Gas import terminal in Shannon. It’s for fracked gas.
