Minister: Forecasts should highlight climate change

Environment Minister John Gormley today urged weather forecasters to flag up the impact of climate change during their reports on television and radio.

The Green Party leader also launched a broadside at sections of the media for being ignorant about global warming or allowing “flat earther” sceptics to air their views.

The minister revealed at a launch of a report into climate change in Ireland that he is to meet with Met Eireann to encourage them to link global warming to the weather.

“I hope in the very near future to be speaking to Met Eireann about the whole question of climate change,” he said.

“Because I think it’s very important that we reinforce the message when we are talking about the weather that it is connected to climate change.

“I would like to see more mention made of climate change in our weather forecasts.” he added.

He made his remarks after praising Met Eireann for their contribution to an Environmental Protection Agency study that showed Ireland is heating up faster than the rest of the world.

“Those climate change sceptics who continue, to my annoyance to get a certain amount of space in the media are the equivalent of flat earthers in my view,” he said.

“They shouldn’t be entertained at all at this stage of the debate.”

In a swipe at the media he turned his attentions to one of the country’s best known broadcasters.

“I remember going on the Gay Byrne show over 17 years ago to talk about climate change,” he said.

“And Gay in his own inimitable way – broadcasting to the nation – said ’prepare to be bored to tears, I’m going to be speaking to John Gormley, an environmentalist, about climate change.’

“He said: ’you might as well turn off your radios now’.”

Minister Gormley insisted the former Late Late Show host was more interested about litter around Howth Head near to where the broadcaster lives.