Greens condemn neglect of Kyoto
Environmentalists protested yesterday in Dublin at the Government's record over the past 10 years. A 118-page report, Telling It Like It Is, published yesterday contains dozens of examples of alleged unsustainable developments.
The report - launched by Independent senator David Norris - is to be distributed among the 60,000 delegates to the Johannesburg summit, which Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Environment Minister Martin Cullen will address.
"It gives you good examples of where things have gone wrong over the last five years," said Green Party TD Ciarán Cuffe, commenting on the damning report. "Really, the most important thing is to de-couple economic growth from environmental degradation. We can both improve our economy and our environment, but it requires a change of direction by Government. We feel the Government's record on climate change is appalling. We think their record on the issues being discussed at the Earth Summit is appalling and we want to see changes." The Greens want:
* an increase in the Government's foreign aid budget.
* two-thirds of transport funding to go to public transport, rather than roads.
"We are not ideologically opposed to public private partnerships (PPP) but we do believe that the most pressing issue in transportation in Ireland at the moment is to provide good quality public transport for both urban and rural communities,” said Mr Cuffe: “We are concerned that the move towards PPPs may lead to a slowdown in the provision of public transport."
Green Party MEP Patricia McKenna and TD John Gormley, both of whom are to attend the Earth Summit, will outline demands at a press conference hosted by party leader Trevor Sergeant in Dublin today. The Earth Summit Ireland (ESI) umbrella group for hundreds of Irish environmental bodies uses 34 incidents to highlight Government neglect of the principles agreed at the summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
