Sinn Féin spokesperson for Climate Action and the Environment, Darren O’Rourke TD, has warned that without a change in approach, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will set Ireland on a pathway to certain climate Failure.
Commenting on the Climate Change Advisory Council’s publication of proposed carbon budgets to 2040,
Teachta O’Rourke said:
“Today’s report reaffirmed what we have known for some time now.
“Under the leadership of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, Ireland is at risk of exceeding our carbon budgets.
“Without emissions reductions of at least 6.3% every year to 2040 – a figure which we have never come close to – we will blow right past them.
“We have already started to feel the devastating impact that Climate Change has, with flooding, droughts and coastal damage growing in scale and intensity with each passing year.
“Not only is their approach not working, it has also produced deeply inequitable outcomes that are associated with lower standards of living.
“A change in tack is clearly needed.
“Ireland must depart from this punitive eco-austerity if we have any hope of reaching the type of emissions reductions necessary to achieve a just transition.
“Sinn Féin has a plan to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss while delivering a better quality of life for workers and families.
“For example, we would significantly invest in renewable energy to accelerate the energy transition and end Ireland’s excessive overreliance on imported fossil fuels while simultaneously increasing public, domestic and community ownership of renewables We believe that ordinary workers and families must be the primary benefactors from Ireland’s green energy revolution
“We would also reform the energy market to reduce energy prices so that as people switch to electricity, they can be sure that they are not being ripped off.
“These are just some of the proposals we have under our belt.
“These are challenging times ahead. However, ordinary workers and families must not be treated as collateral damage in the transition to net zero.”
