Calls for Government to move from climate rhetoric to climate action

Climate Activist Leontien Friel Darrell from Drumcondra outside Leinster House today. Photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Politicians have warned that the "window is closing" for action on the climate after the release of the stark IPCC report.

The report lays out a grim future if man-made climate change is not tackled, with politicians here saying that Ireland cannot shirk its responsibilities or think that there will be no consequences of global climate change felt on these shores.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan warned that the cost of ignoring climate change would be “catastrophic” and said that "doing nothing is not an option".

The Minister said that the consequences of failing to bring Ireland's carbon emissions down would be “beyond compare". There was a need to move quickly because “the window for action is closing”.

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For Ireland, the first key thing that needed to be done was to stop using fossil fuels. “For too long it has been about 'oh, well, maybe', but today's report will show that the science is unequivocal and the cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of any action”.

Sinn Féin climate spokespersons Darren O'Rourke TD and Senator Lynn Boylan said that the report was "a stark warning" and a call to action. Mr O'Rourke said that it "remains to be seen" whether the Government and others across the globe will heed the warning.

"In our recent contribution to the Climate Action Bill debate, Sinn Féin outlined the need for public involvement to be at the heart of the climate change effort. We need to bring all communities along this journey to a decarbonised future.

The government’s punitive approach of carbon taxes and fuel and electricity price hikes will simply not work. 

It is clear from today’s report that an unprecedented collaborative and collective effort will be needed to address the increasing climate emergency."

Ms Boylan said that the Covid-19 pandemic had shown that the world can react to emergency situations, but said that systemic change to how people live their lives would be necessary. She added that Ireland should opt out of the Energy Charter Treaty to allow the country to ban fracked gas.

"It is very clear that we need radical action to tackle climate change. Governments must be free to take the regulatory and public policies required to rapidly bring down emissions, provide public transport and shift to renewable energy.

"That means banning the importation of fracked gas which is releasing huge volumes of methane and destroying local communities. The Irish government needs to be able to ban fuels like LNG without the fear of legal action from fossil fuel companies.

“Minister Eamon Ryan should join his French and Spanish counterparts and demand that the EU leave the Energy Charter Treaty."

Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore said that the Government must move from "climate rhetoric to climate action".

“The IPCC report is a stark reminder that time is running out to avert a climate catastrophe. The challenge we face is immense and the time to act is now.

“We are already seeing first-hand what failure to act will mean as we watch fires and floods rage across Europe this summer. This report is clear - climate change is already affecting every region on earth, in multiple ways. There is nowhere to hide from the devastating consequences of climate change.

“In 2018, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar described Ireland as a climate 'laggard' and said we needed to do much more to tackle climate change. Despite this admission, little has changed in the intervening period. Most recently, we failed to meet our 2020 emission reduction targets.
"The government must move from climate rhetoric to climate action."

In a more immediate move, Fine Gael's Colm Burke said that the report showed the need to deliver the Lower Lee Relief Scheme as soon as possible.

"Extreme weather events in Europe and elsewhere in the world should be a spur to action for all who care about Cork and its future. We must not fail to prepare.”

CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB