Extinction Rebellion targets Port of Cork in environmentalist campagin

Extinction Rebellion activists have targeted the Port of Cork in their campaign of environmentalism.

The group erected a banner over the Port of Cork sign at Custom House Quay in Cork city, demanding action on climate change. Messages of "Port of CO2" and "Business as Usual??" were added to the existing Port sign.

It is the latest in a series of protests by the group which staged 'die-in' protests on Oliver Plunkett Street and City Hall earlier in the year, where participants symbolically played dead to mimic an apocalypse.

Extinction Rebellion explained that greenhouse gas emissions related to agriculture are responsible for one-third of overall emissions and that a significant volume of animal feed, fertiliser and cereals is imported through the Port of Cork.

They also criticised the Port of Cork for lobbying Oireachtas members regarding the Climate Emergency Bill, adding that they plan to keep taking action to force the Government and the Port of Cork to take "drastic action" on climate change. Activist Matt Jones said:

We are tired of false promises from the current Government, which is not taking urgent actions required to steer us away from runaway climate change. Imports into Cork, particularly cattle feed and coal, continue to devastate our ecological systems

Responding to the protest, a Port of Cork spokeswoman said that environmental management is "a prime business consideration across all of our operations".

"Port of Cork commits itself to lead the wider port community to minimise environmental impacts through co-ordinated environmental management, respecting the principles of environmental sustainability," a spokeswoman said.

"Our Environmental Management System was developed in 2006 is accredited under ISO 14001, the international standard for Environmental Management Systems. The Port of Cork continues to be active in the ECOPORTS initiative which is a network of ports throughout Europe seeking to work together, exchanging experiences and promoting best practice with a view to achieving continual improvement in mitigating the impact of port operations on the environment."

The spokeswoman said the Port is also working on the issues of air quality, energy conservation and climate change, water use and quality, noise, waste, ground and seabed contamination, and habitats and ecosystem as set out in the ESPO Green Guide.