Karen Ciesielski: Government says planet is on fire but refuses to fight the flames

We know the State has the capacity to treat an emergency and pull together resources and legislation at lightning speed in order to protect as many lives as it could. Unfortunately, the climate and biodiversity crisis has never truly been met with the same sense of urgency

The Dáil itself made Ireland one of the first countries to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency two years ago. But these sentiments are just ink and sound unless they are backed by considerable, robust State investment. File picture: Sam Boal/RollingNews.ie

For decades, we’ve heard politicians the globe over say the crises our planet faces are existential. They’ve said the looming threat of rolling catastrophe would impede our very survival. That our children must not be left to inherit a smouldering world. That we must be the custodians of a better future.

Here at home, the Dáil itself made Ireland one of the first countries to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency two years ago. But these sentiments are just ink and sound unless they are backed by considerable, robust State investment.