NGO coalition demands strong climate law and additional finance.

Stop Climate Chaos
Media Release
Embargo 00.01 Wednesday 2 June 2010

NGO coalition demands strong climate law and additional climate finance

Climate activists from around Ireland lobby their TDs

As UN climate talks re-start in Bonn supporters of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition will be lobbying their local TDs in Dublin today. Constituents from around the country, gathering in Buswells Hotel opposite the Dáil, will be asking TDs to make sure the Government's promised climate change law is clear and strong and that Ireland's contribution to helping developing countries cope with climate change is not taken from the aid budget. Minister Gormley will be presenting the draft climate bill to Cabinet this month, and the Taoiseach has said that the Cabinet has yet to decide if Ireland's climate finance money will be additional to overseas aid.

Niamh Garvey of Trocaire, said
"A strong climate law is not just a matter of environmental sustainability, it's a matter of global justice. Ireland is the eighth most generous aid donor per person but we're the sixth most climate-polluting country per person among industrialized countries. So a law that shows Ireland is finally ready to do its fair share to cut emissions is the biggest contribution we can make to getting the international negotiations back on track."

Oisín Coghlan of Friends of the Earth said
"We welcome the promise of climate legislation, but it must mean what it says to be credible. The Government is committed to reducing emissions by 3% a year. That's got to mean cutting emissions here in Ireland, not wasting taxpayers' money on overseas credits: the law must rule out meeting the target by offsetting."

Today's mass lobby comes as Department of Environment officials are finalising the first draft of the climate Bill. Minister Gormley had promised to publish the Bill, one of the Green's key gains in the renegotiated Programme for Government, before the end of March. It is now expected that the heads of bill will be approved by Cabinet before the end of June.

Leaders of several Stop Climate Chaos member organisations will meet Minister Gormley when he comes to talk with a group of his constituents today. As well as urging him to deliver a strong bill they will be asking him to follow up his personal commitment to climate finance being additional to overseas aid commitments with a Cabinet decision that actually makes it Irish policy.

Derek McDowell of Concern said
"We in the developed world have caused the climate change that the poorest countries are now facing. The money we give to help them cope cannot be instead of long-promised aid to provide education, basic healthcare and clean water. We welcome Minister Gormley's statements that climate change assistance should be in addition to our overseas aid, however it is important that we get confirmation that it is the policy of the entire government that it is additional to our aid promises."

The day will be dominated by people from around the country meeting their local TDs. Highlights include activists who have travelled from as far away as West Cork and Galway meeting their TDs. Minister for the Environment John Gormley will symbolically accept a giant climate bill from senior members of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition at 1.30pm.

ENDS

Notes

1. Stop Climate Chaos members are:

Action Aid, Afri, Birdwatch Ireland, Christian Aid, Climate Action Ireland Platform, Comhlámh, Concern, Cultivate, Dublin Friends of Earth, Eco-Congregation, Eco-Unesco, Feasta, Friends of the Earth, Gorta, Just Forests, Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Latin America Solidarity Centre, Methodist Church of Ireland- Council of Social Responsibility, Mountmellick Environmental Group (MEG), National Youth Council Ireland, Oxfam Ireland, Presentation Ireland, Progressio Ireland, Students Against Climate Change, Sustain West Cork, An Taisce, Trócaire, VITA, V.O.I.C.E

2. The briefing for TDs on the day is available at www.stopclimatechaos.ie/download/doc/stop_climate_chaos_mass_lobby_briefing.doc

3. The draft framework document on what the law will look like is available at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Environment/Atmosphere/FileDownLoad,21824,en.pdf