Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall has suggested the Taoiseach won’t live up to his word to do ‘everything in his power’ to secure a sustainable future for the country.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been accused of blowing hot air when it comes to his commitment on climate action.
Speaking at the COP26 summit in Glasgow on Tuesday, the Taoiseach promised to do “everything in my power” in order to ensure a sustainable future for generations of Irish people.
Referencing August’s harrowing IPCC report, Martin said climate change is real and that “it is widespread, it is rapid, and it is intensifying”, but that “it is not too late” to make a difference.
“Human actions still have the potential to determine the future course of climate, the very future of our planet,” the Taoiseach stated.
“To achieve our Paris goals, immediate, large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are essential. Unless we act now, we will not keep the possibility of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees alive.”
“As political leaders, it is our responsibility to put the necessary policies in place.”
He added that Ireland is “ready to play its part,” explaining that the country has enacted legislation to put a legally binding target of reducing emissions by 2030 to 51% below 2018 levels and climate neutrality by 2050.
Back at home and attending to business in Dáil Éireann on Wednesday, the Taoiseach was challenged on his comments by Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall.
“Why are you making commitments at COP that you cop out of as soon as the ink is dry on the agreement?” Shortall asked.
“Secondly, why should people have confidence in your ability to meet targets, given the lack of clarity and credibility in your existing plans?
“And thirdly, do you have any real ambition to make the large-scale changes that are needed in order to climate-proof our economy and our society?”
In response, Taoiseach Martin labelled Shortall’s arguments as “disingenuous” and further underlined his Government’s commitment to tackling climate emergency.
“I just have to say that you suffer, at times, from an abundance of negativity,” said Martin.
“And you seem to persistently want to seek to undermine what are genuine and transformative decisions by this government to step-change our response to climate change, which we have done through the climate action legislation, through the establishments of the climate council and the carbon budgeting that will occur.
“And just on the global methane pledge, I think you’re being somewhat disingenuous here,” Martin added.
“Read the pledge. Read what people have signed up to. It is a global pledge. So, globally, collectively, in different ways and through different mechanisms, countries who sign up will contribute to that overall 30% global reduction in methane.”
Martin went on to note that methane emanates “from a range of human activities” including oil and gas extraction that he says his government have taken steps to limit.
“Coal mining, for example. Landfill, as well as agriculture,” he continued.
“The pledge recognises that countries have varying methane emission profiles and reduction potential and that the energy sector, globally, has the greatest potential for targeted mitigation by 2030.”
Featured Images via Sasko Lazarov and Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie
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