“If you have been working with people in your community to take steps to move away from fossil fuels then you have a good idea of what is needed to shape a national vision and the actions necessary for a just national energy transition plan.”
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We must unite and ensure the government create a collaborative, inclusive and fair energy transition plan for Ireland
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Over the past few years TINI, Transition Ireland and Northern Ireland, has been ensuring that plans for our national transition are inclusive – that everyone will have their say. This is important so that people will be less likely to object when the time comes to implement the plans. It also means that people who are already involved in transition activities will be able to bring their vision to the national plan. This was achieved through the PEC, Peoples Energy Charter, calling for Comprehensive Public Participation in the National Energy Transition Plan. PEC was effectively a national TINI energy project. Here is a report on it.
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Lets focus on the second point – “people who are already involved in transition activities will be able to bring their vision to the national plan“. If you have been working with people in your community to take steps to move away from fossil fuels then you have a good idea of what is needed to shape a national vision and the actions necessary for a just national energy transition plan. The People’s Assembly will be looking at Climate Action in the coming months. Now that we have governments commitment to a climate dialogue it is vital that the transition message is received loud and clear. We need to collaborate and communicate our message individually and collectively. To date industry has played a massive role in Irelands national policy and for a just transition to happen that needs to change radically. Here’’s a link to the citizens assembly climate change message.
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With that in mind TINI are proposing to map all initiatives and projects around Ireland that can identify with community transition. If you are involved in a local food project, GIY Grow It Yourself, Sustainable Energy Community, community garden, sustainable transport initiative, permaculture, slow food, growing your local economy with local produce, anything with a local agenda that reduces emissions and fossil fuel dependence then you are effectively already in transition. We are not asking that you change your name or formally register but we are asking that you identify that what you are doing is helping Ireland transition to a low carbon society and economy. This will then show that there is a strong force in the country already in transition.
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This will also help TINI build on the work of PEC and call for a national energy transition plan that is created facilitating input from the grass roots. It will show the government that there is capacity amongst the people to create that vision, contribute to and collaborate on that plan. As well as mapping your community we can add you to our mailing list and keep you up to date on what’s happening with the peoples assembly and the climate dialogue if you wish. Send an email with the name of your project, where it is located and a contact email we can add to our database to tinireland at gmail.com. Include a website or social media link if you have one. Let us know if we can add your contact email on the map so that people can get in touch with you if they are interested in your project.
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Please share this blog with people you know are involved in community projects and feel should contribute to our national vision by shaping policy.
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Theresa O’Donohoe
April 24th 2017
TheresaOD.com 
Hi Teresa, love your Blog. Do TINI intend to reach out to national organisations such as GIY Ireland to suggest they invite their registered groups to link in with TINI? There are many networks already in place that would help getting the invitation out there.
Thanks
Evonne
Hi Evonne. Definitely. Many of our initiatives played a part in establishing GIY groups which effectively helped catalyse local food solutions in a great way. They are definitely complimentary. As are the permaculture and community garden networks. An official contact email would probably be a good idea so I must suggest it to those taking up the reigns. Thanks a million. T