Humility on climate needed from govt as COP begins
Humility on climate needed from govt as COP begins - The Labour Party
Labour’s climate spokesperson Ciaran Ahern TD said humility on Ireland’s climate progress is needed from Government as COP begins today.
Deputy Ahern said:
“On every metric this Government is failing on climate. Our analysis of Government’s climate progress shows that we have a Government that is not up to the job. It is failing to meet its own climate commitments, it is ignoring the recommendations of experts and we have a Minister who is failing to provide any leadership and failing to bring his colleagues with him in reducing our emissions and preserving our biodiversity.
“When Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil entered into a coalition with the Green Party in 2020, the resulting Programme for Government made 148 commitments related to climate and the environment in its “Green New Deal” section.
“Yet six years on, 61% of these actions have not been delivered, with many outright reneged upon.
“This Government also ignored 78% (150 out of 192) priority recommendations on the environment and climate action made by the Climate Change Advisory Council, SEAI, the European Commission and the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss.
“We have a Government and a climate Minister that knows what needs to be done, but is choosing to fail as climate continues to fall off the political agenda.
“Ireland’s poor performance on climate action is neither normal nor acceptable. We are outliers across our European peers, ranking among the bottom three EU countries from emissions to renewables to recycling to biodiversity, and more besides.
“Just last month, the Government announced a decision to repay €8bn in loans received during the financial crisis ahead of schedule in order to save taxpayers €90mn.
“Yet there is no action to safeguard the public from climate fines ranging anywhere between €8bn to €26bn. It simply doesn’t add up.
“What is needed now is clear ambition for immediate and urgent action, and for the State to take a lead role in the transformation that is needed for a carbon free future.
“We’ve just emerged from Ireland’s hottest summer on record. Earlier in the year Storm Chandra caused flooding across the country and last year’s Storm Eowyn was the worst storm we’ve experienced in decades.
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael need to recognise that Ireland’s climate patterns are changing and they have a responsibility to, at the very least, achieve their own targets. Climate change is a reality and it’s accelerating at a rapid pace. We need to see real leadership and action from Minister O’Brien now, for a future we can all afford.”
ENDS
Labour’s analysis is available here: https://labour.ie/labours-climate-scorecard/