Irish Examiner view: Climate change is here. Politicians have to work together to combat it

The spat between Coalition TDs highlights an alarming gap within the Irish Government on the issue of carbon emissions

We are already seeing the devastating effects of climate change, so the haggling over emissions reduction targets must end.

The attack this week by Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin on Climate Minister Eamon Ryan, which included a suggestion that Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) be banned from the minister’s south Dublin constituency was as amusing as it was alarming.

The SUV, of course, is the vehicle of choice of a collective for whom the issues surrounding climate change are probably the least of their daily concerns.

Banning them in Dublin Bay South, as suggested by the Minister’s government colleague, might put a stop to threats against two-car families as bandied about by ‘senior government sources’ ahead of the talks on Wednesday between Mr Ryan and Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue on his proposed 30% reduction in carbon emissions within the agri-sector.

Humorous as Mr Griffin’s comments were, they highlighted an alarming gap within government, between those for whom the climate crisis is a pressing issue and those for whom it is not. That a matter of this gravity is reduced to comedic points-scoring between representatives of the same administration is not what’s needed right now.

Europe ablaze

We’ve seen Europe ablaze in the last week amid a sudden realisation among climate naysayers that this phenomenon is no laughing matter, and if action is not taken damn quickly, the world as we know it will cease to exist. Probably as quickly as an SUV can accelerate from 0-100 km/h.

There are understandable gaps between what Minister Ryan is asking each of the sectors to contribute towards Ireland becoming a net-zero country, but there is no reason to believe these cannot be closed. And the talks between Charlie McConalogue and Eamon Ryan are hugely important in this regard.

One can understand that the agriculture minister is fighting somewhat of a rearguard action — not to mention the might of the powerful farming lobby here — with regard to maintaining the culture of rural life and the way it has traditionally worked in Ireland, but equally one can see the necessity of the climate minister’s zealousness.

Unless everyone is involved in the decision-making regarding the push towards a zero-emission economy, it will not be achieved within the legally binding timeframe the government has committed itself to. Point-scoring at the Government’s expense by the opposition is expected, but from the administration’s backbenches is counter-productive.

Change is inevitable

Environmental issues are going to be at the top of the agenda when it comes around to the next election, and the sooner public representatives cop on to that fact, the sooner they will find favour from the electorate.

That so few of our TDs feel the need to speak up about climate change at all, let alone after the death and destruction witnessed across Europe in the last week, is alarming.

Things have to change, and change quickly, and everyone in this current administration needs to be working from the same spreadsheet. To paraphrase former US president, Ronald Reagan, status quo is Latin for 'the mess we’re in'.