Can “Just Transition” fail to be a transition that is just?

Can “Just Transition” fail to be a transition that is just? Definitely. What is needed is a national transition strategy that is just, in compliance with the Aarhus convention, respects everybody equally and supports everyone affected. That must begin immediately. Ultimately this lack of a coordinated, whole of society action is a gross injustice to the young people of Ireland, the world and future generations.

Lisdoonvarna Direct Provision week 2

This is a follow up to last weeks post on the proposed direct provision centre in Lisdoonvarna. You can read that here. Last week we held a vote on the direct provision centre contract. We spent time on the wording because it wasn’t the asylum seekers we were voting on. Since then we’ve had aContinue reading “Lisdoonvarna Direct Provision week 2”

Meeting Minister Naughten

On Tuesday May 2nd 2017 at 2pm I sat in my car at the Falls Hotel, Ennistymon, linked into Leinster House for a meeting with Denis Naughten, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment via mobile phone. If you know how the Irish system works you will appreciate the achievement in this. Thank you to my colleaguesContinue reading “Meeting Minister Naughten”

Apolitical or Apathetic? #Peoplesclimate in Clare

This Sunday is an opportunity for everyone concerned about climate change to join others and call for meaningful action. It’s all planned to show world leaders attending the UN summit next week that we want them to act now. There is a massive march taking place in New York. I would love to be there.Continue reading “Apolitical or Apathetic? #Peoplesclimate in Clare”

How fast things can move

We are now into the final stretch with the Energy Green Paper Process and some submissions or ideas for text are going up on People’s Energy Charter website. Please do take a look, post your ideas and feel free to start a conversation about Ireland’s energy on the forum page. You will need to logContinue reading “How fast things can move”

Launch of National Economic and Social Council NESC report “Wind Energy in Ireland : Building Community Engagement and Social Support”

I will start by posting my address. “Speaking as a co-founder of Transition Ireland & Northern Ireland and convener of the *People’s Energy Charter, I am delighted that the word transition appears in this report at least 100 times. Even more welcome is it’s context and intent. I sincerely expect that the People’s Energy Charter –Continue reading “Launch of National Economic and Social Council NESC report “Wind Energy in Ireland : Building Community Engagement and Social Support””

Irish Wind Farmers Association Annual Workshop

Last week I heard that the Irish Wind Farmers Association – IWFA were hosting their annual workshop in Portlaoise so I asked if LEAF – Laois Environmental Action Forum, being the completely voluntary environmental forum in the host county, could have a couple of complimentary tickets so that some members may attend. It is alwaysContinue reading “Irish Wind Farmers Association Annual Workshop”

What are we teaching our children?

Letter to the Irish Times Editor Sir Climate change – what are we teaching our children? I have 5 children from junior infants through to third year in college. All of them have encountered climate change throughout the course of their formal education. It is very much part of the syllabus from primary school scienceContinue reading “What are we teaching our children?”

Ireland – waking up in 2014 perhaps?

Following on from my posts detailing RTE’s apparent lack of engagement with Climate Change, Prime Time, one of Ireland’s foremost current affairs programmes covered it on Tuesday March 18th. Watching Prime Time last Tuesday felt similar to watching Obama’s speech last summer – I was happy with the acknowledgement. It started with clarification that the entire panelContinue reading “Ireland – waking up in 2014 perhaps?”

Hanging with Crocodiles and Climate Change

They say first impressions last – pretty much the same if you want to catch your readers eye. I reckon the subject line in my email to Ryan Tubridy caught someones eye in RTE last Tuesday. I called it “Hanging with Crocodiles”. Feb 4th 2014 at 10.26 Dear Ryan I know that all emails can’tContinue reading “Hanging with Crocodiles and Climate Change”