Climate coalition express concern over vague climate proposals in Framework document

The Stop Climate Chaos Coalition has today (15th April) welcomed the acknowledgement in the joint Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael framework document that climate change is an existential crisis which requires at least the same determination as efforts to tackle Covid-19. However, the Coalition expressed disappointment and concern that the ten climate action proposals put forward in the framework did not reflect an adequate response to the climate emergency declared by the last Dáil, and if implemented through the Programme for Government, will not help deliver faster and fairer climate action in a decade where ambitious climate action is critical for the future of the planet. 

The framework document will form the basis for a Programme for Government with other smaller parties and groups of independents and includes a proposal for a New Green Deal that puts climate action as one of the ten key ‘missions’. In addition to domestic climate action, the parties propose action on biodiversity alongside support for the EU Green Deal, which will raise ambition for climate action across all member states. 

On the proposals to setting new carbon reduction targets and implement a roadmap for early and significant action, Sadhbh O’Neill, policy advisor with the Coalition commented, 

“Whilst the proposals to set new carbon reduction targets and to identify and implement early and significant climate actions are welcomed, we are concerned that major parties are still not uniting behind the science by proposing more specific annual cuts in emissions and sectoral-specific proposals. To be in line with the science and our climate obligations, the Programme for Government must deliver emissions reductions that average at least 8% a year over its lifetime.”

She also added, 

‘If the next Government is to unite behind the science, climate policies must be implemented at scale and with the necessary urgency in order to close Ireland’s glaring emissions gap. It is disappointing therefore, that Ireland’s obligations to the Paris Agreement and our responsibility to do our fair share of the global effort to avert a planetary crisis were not more signalled explicitly in the framework. This is a missed opportunity for both parties to show their seriousness and commitment to tackling the climate crisis. We need to see new ideas, new policies and new legal instruments to effect real system change over the lifetime of the next government.”

“The Programme for Government must enshrine any new targets into law to ensure policy coherence across the Government. We have been reaching out to all party leaders to demand a new climate bill to address the weaknesses in current legislation which were highlighted in the report of the all-party Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action in its report of March 2019. At a minimum, these recommendations from the all-party committee should be implemented to build on the weaknesses of the outgoing Government’s 2019 Climate Action Plan. Parties entering into Government negotiations must insist that a new, strengthened climate law be passed by the Dáil within 100 days of the formation of a Government”. 

On proposals to “ensure that the recovery at domestic and European levels is carried out through a green lens”, the Coalition emphasised that recovery plans delivered through the Green New Deal must be climate proofed. The Coalition added, 

“Using capital spending to “reignite and renew” the economy must not undermine emissions reductions, or contradict Ireland’s climate obligations. Any stimulus plans that are envisaged in the next Programme for Government, if carefully designed and targeted, can place Ireland on a surer path to implementing the Paris Agreement. The opportunity to build a secure, sustainable and equitable future must not be lost or undermined by a short-sighted vision of what economic recovery looks like.” 

Earlier last week, the Coalition wrote to all party leaders urging them to learn from the Covid-19 experience of implementing science-based policies and to deliver a coherent, all of government recovery plan that is consistent with Ireland’s climate obligations:

“We want to see investments in infrastructure that harness the potential for job creation and emissions reduction in renewable energy, retrofitting and public transport as priorities. And all recovery plans and projects must be fully assessed for their climate impacts. The opportunity is here now to ‘green’ those sectors, including construction and agriculture, that are in danger of returning to Business as Usual growth rates that drive up emissions and cement Ireland’s damaging reputation as a climate laggard.”

On the proposal to address the biodiversity crisis, Oonagh Duggan, Assistant Head of Advocacy at BirdWatch Ireland which is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos, welcomed the commitment to take immediate action to protect ecosystems on land and at sea, as well as confirmation of Dáil commitment to establish a Citizens’ Assembly on biodiversity loss. Ms. Duggan commented, 

“The Programme for Government that may follow from this framework represents a real and timely opportunity to fully integrate biodiversity and climate goals into policies on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, housing, health, transport and energy so that we can more fully reap societal benefits from these sectors.”

As negotiations around Government formation continue, the Coalition emphasised that it will be essential that the ten ‘missions’ are fully expanded upon in greater detail and focus. To put Ireland on track to achieving its climate obligations, expansion of these proposals would need to include, at the very least: 

• A new and strengthened climate law to be passed by the Dáil within 100 days of the formation of a Government.
• The phasing out fossil fuels and the implementation of a moratorium on all new fossil fuel infrastructure and LNG terminals.
• Setting a new 2030 target to be operationalised with 5 year carbon budgets to put Ireland on track to meeting its EU and Paris Agreement obligations and to avoid the mounting costs of non-compliance. 
• Ensuring that all major capital expenditure plans are assessed for their potential climate impacts including existing proposals under the National Development Plan/ Project Ireland 2040. 
• Putting the agriculture and land-use sector on a pathway to diversification, localised food production, nature conservation, improved water quality and lower emissions. 

Ends

1. The Coalition recently sent a Letter to all party leaders emphasizing three key principles which should underpin the policy framework document put forward by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. The Letter is available here: https://www.stopclimatechaos.ie/assets/files/pdf/letter_ensuring_the_programme_for_government_delivers_a_fair_recovery_with_faster_climate_actionfv.pdf
2. Stop Climate Chaos is actively engaging with social partners on the specific elements of a Green New Deal framework for Ireland which would put people and planet at the centre of all recovery plans and ensure that the needs of communities and workers affected by the transition to a zero carbon future are met in a just transition.