70 TDs sign commitment to a strong climate law and additional climate finance

Over half of all TDs meet with voters at mass lobby in Buswells

70 TDs signed a "climate commitment" today calling for a strong climate law as well as new climate finance for developing countries. Earlier the Government rejected calls for a debate today on an opposition climate change bill in the Seanad, but Senator Dan Boyle, Deputy Government Leader in the upper house, promised that the Government Bill would be published before the end of June. Over half the TDs in the Dáil attended the all-day event in Buswells Hotel, organized by the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, which saw voters from all over the country come to Kildare Street to lobby their TDs.

The TDs who signed the "climate commitment" pledged that Ireland would meet the targets in the law by reductions in emissions here in Ireland rather than by buying "carbon offset credits" overseas. The Government target is to reduce emissions by 3% a year on average between now and 2020. The TDs also agreed to insure that the independent advisory committee to be established under the law would have the authority to publish its reports rather than giving their advice in private. The climate commitment also calls for Ireland's financial contribution to addressing climate change in developing countries would be separate from and additional to overseas aid commitments.

Niamh Garvey of Trocaire, said
"We're delighted by the turnout today and the number of TDs who have signed-up to support clear and effective climate legislation. 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."

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 Climate Commitment signed by TDs can be downloaded here: www.stopclimatechaos.ie/download/pdf/tds_climate_commitment.pdf

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