Cowardice, Compassion & Climate Politics

We are in the midst of a cost of living crisis that began long before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and which is only set to worsen significantly as the Climate Crisis escalates in the coming years.

Rising costs associated with everything from fuel and energy, to food and clothing have led to more people living on the precipice of poverty in Ireland than ever before. All of this was avoidable if our politicians had heeded calls over the last four decades to invest in renewable energy, to divest from intensive farming and subsidising fossil fuels, while also placing controls on rents.

Yet, here we are nearly half a century later faced with the reality that food prices are rising, fuel and energy bills are at an all-time high, and those who are already living in the most precarious positions in society will bear the brunt of the Climate Crisis, despite typically having the lowest carbon footprints.

Today we look at the consistent cowardice of Irish politicians in addressing the Climate Crisis and the need for greater compassion at home and around the world as the Climate Emergency intensifies.

Mr Fleming, who has a net income of around €1,000 per week, should be aware that between March and June 2020 more than 2.3 million meals were provided by the FoodCloud food bank, that the number of homeless people in Ireland rose from 6,906 in 2016 to over 10,500 by the end of 2019, and that up to 28% of households in Ireland are in, or at risk of, energy poverty.

That’s more than a quarter of the population of Ireland on a daily basis having to make the choice between heat and food, or simply living with ever-growing arrears for their utility bills.

This isn’t about shopping around.

While Mr Fleming may have swiftly apologised for his remarks, they are indicative of the contempt with which the Irish Government currently holds the Irish people, and the contempt they are showing for climate action.

When IrishEVs contacted Mr Fitzmaurice about his comments and his clear conflict of interest as the chair of an industry behind the destruction of turf bogs across Ireland, he stated that he had not read the IPCC report and actively engaged in climate denial:

“As I’m sure you already know, the full report runs to circa 3,676 pages and the straight answer to your question, which I’m sure you already know, is – no, I have not read the full report. However, my researchers and I will read the entire report. Despite much of it not being likely to be pertinent to Ireland.”

[N.B.  IPCC reports are a globally-focused studies which report on planetary climate system, and as such relate to every nation on Earth. Greenhouse gases do not discriminate based on national borders. The Summary for Policymakers is also only 32 pages long]

“When we have completed our review, we will form our own conclusions. Based on the summary document, some of the data sets surrounding Asia numbers raise red flags – particular in terms of levels of confidence in attribution to climate change in terms of its observed impacts on ecosystems and human systems. We will be examining the methodologies used in terms of these aspects of the report.”

[N.B. The report was compiled over many years by thousands of scientists using millions of current and historical data points. It is the most accurate understanding of climate science – and the role of humans in worsening the Climate Crisis – that humans have ever produced]

We would point out to IrishEVs readers that a man who has a background in agriculture and turf cutting, with a vested interest as the leading figure in the turf cutting industry, believes he has the knowledge to question the methodologies and findings of the brightest scientific minds on Earth across multiple fields of scientific disciplines.

This is not a politician acting in the best interests of those who elected him. This is a man with clear vested interests who has not read the IPCC report but yet is free to question it and is quoted by agricultural media on a regular basis.

Furthermore, her comments overlook that she is in a position to push through legislation to support people in adopting renewable energy to alleviate energy poverty and help meet Ireland’s necessary emissions reduction targets.

It should be noted that Doherty has a 0% climate score on Not Here, Not Anywhere, having voted against climate action on 14 occasions, failed to vote in favour of climate action on any occasion, and been absent or failed to cast a vote on 6 occasions.

We contacted Doherty to ask if she had read the latest IPCC report but did not receive a response.

Her comments would suggest that she likely has not.

Despite having signed Ireland to a global pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% compared to 2020 levels, he immediately stated that this pledge would not be included in Ireland’s forthcoming carbon budgets, which target a 10% cut in methane.

When rightly challenged about his empty promises by Rosin Shortall – a TD who has consistently shown compassion and a demand for meaningful climate action, something that seems to set the Social Democrats apart from most major Irish political parties – Mr Martin responded accusing her of “an abundance of negativity”.

This has major global implications, as well as here at home in Ireland.

Yet Mr Martin’s focus on 2050 and flippant responses to the urgent and vital challenges against his inaction from fellow politicians shows his disregard for the plight of those living outside Ireland.

As such, he is directly engaging in climate imperialism.

With understandably rising rates of mental health issues across the country, public officials elected to act in our best interests should be acting urgently on lower the cost of living, with kindness and compassion.

Or be held accountable for the consequences.

Brave Politics

Many of the issues with Irish politics are reflected in other political systems the world over – none more so than the growing ubiquity of the career politician.

However, there are rare examples of governments committed to enacting real change for the betterment of the people who elected them.

Perhaps there can be no better example than the 1996 National Firearms Agreement in Australia, which implemented stricter gun laws in response to mass shooting events, particularly the Port Authur massacre, in which 35 people were killed.

The piece includes former Premier of Queensland, Rob Borbidge, commenting on the conviction to do the right thing, no matter the political cost: “We paid a high political price, but we did the right thing. There are Australians alive today because we took that action. How much is a life worth?”

This cost many of the politicians their careers – but they knew it was the right thing to do, and pressed ahead for the good of the country and its people. They exercised political bravery to do the right thing.

Following the ban, Australia has had no mass shootings since 1996. Furthermore, the ban brought about additional societal benefits, including reduced homicide rates by up to 60%, while youth suicides also declined dramatically.

It is time Irish politicians stepped up to end their cowardice and arse-covering to maintain a cushy job at the cost of inaction. We have no time to waste with less than three years to overcome the worst outcomes of the Climate Crisis – and we have already wasted three years of inaction since the Irish government announced (but have yet failed to act on) a Climate Emergency.

Instead, it is time for them to show compassion and leadership in the face of the Climate Crisis. To recognise the severity of the Climate Crisis, the timescale of what we face – including the potential extinction of a third of all life by 2070 – and ask: “How much is life worth?”

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