IReland’s Green party went into government in 2020 and decided to withdraw from Ireland lazy to lead the climate crisis. Public opinion was with us, and we won more than 7% of the national vote. This mandate allowed us to negotiate a coalition with the two major centrist parties in Ireland, which was recognized by European colleagues as one of the greenest deals they had seen.
Over the past four and a half years, we have worked tirelessly to achieve that goal. I think most legal experts say the impact was transformational. Last year’s emissions from Ireland fell 6.8%although they were noted for having one of Europe’s fastest growing economies and population growth. Greens switched spending in favor of public transport, cycling and walking. We roll out a new bus of rural services every week, while cutting young people’s prices by 60%. Passenger numbers He stripped himself immediately and we are alone at the beginning of the change. A pipeline of great new projects comes through our system, ready for release.
a cloud in Ireland solar panels are placed 100 roofs are renovated every day and 1,000 houses every week. We introduced a basic income system for artists, average cost of childcare and will cut the use of fertilizers in agriculture by 30%. We stand with our government partners, Palestine and are centrally involved in agreeing to the EU’s restoration of nature by law and ” loss and damage fund at Cop27
Despite or perhaps because of, we have lost all of the above But all are one our seats in the national parliament during the general election last month, after and having lost our seats in the European parliamentary elections in June. The green parties that have been in power in Belgium and Austria have experienced similar electoral reversals in recent months, and all eyes will be on the German elections in February to see if the green party can get there. buck trend.
I’m sure our side can come back stronger, but we need to ask what lessons can be learned in the face of climate action we all know we still have to do.
The first lesson is that the delivery is made easier. Achieving goals around the world, not just setting them, are imperative. But it is difficult because things that you think can be popular sometimes seem like an unpleasant change. What we have seen is A wonderful new street is openedwhile it made it safe for children to cycle to school, it was seen by many in the same communities as a growing gridlock that caused Ireland’s dependence on cars.
He stopped commercial strip mining turf in our precious wetlands, it seems like a small twist on family traditions, rather than the way we better protect our air quality and protect the future natural world.
Perhaps we should have underestimated the backlash we would receive from those dressed up as those who wanted to maintain the status quo. Ryanair, Ireland the biggest polluterHe was in constant campaign mode weed “green” while keyboard warriors flooded all of our social media platforms with the most evil comments imaginable. At this time you are wiping it, but surely, I think, it has poisoned public thoughts about what we are talking about.
It has helped or as the tide of public concern over climate breakdown as Covid recedes and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza fill our screens. I am most concerned that the younger ones may become discolored and fail at a younger age. Slogan of the school strikers“We are about to be born, another world can be”, they sound slightly concave six years since the first days of the campaign.
But, I think, there is another lesson from Ireland that gives some hope. Just as there are dangerous climate breakdown points that we risk crossing, there are also tipping points that can give us hope. The the renewable energy revolution It took off five years ago, both in Ireland and elsewhere, and I don’t think it will be stopped.
Although the climate system ranked low in all surveys of voters’ priorities before the recent election, we now have them detailed investigations which shows that the majority of the Irish people want to be the solution to the climate. Less than 5% are what you would call climate skeptics.
The question now will be whether the new Irish government will continue with the process we have set up, or whether it will change its approach to reflect what the polls seem to say about public goods.
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We are engaged in the event of war in the brokenness of heaven, and many battles will be won and lost. The vital thing is to believe that change is possible and not just give up when you lose one day.
As my successor, leader of the party, Roderick O’Gorman, a green plant to keep his seat in the Dáil, put it: we have no regrets. Four years ago we had a head of state and spent it delivering real climate action that improved people’s lives. We have to build that capital again, but we will do it inspired by the knowledge that you can change things, even if they seem to be against you.
We don’t have a future like burning fossil fuels. We have learned a valuable lesson in recent years – that the better the way the better it can be. The main question is how that environmental climate ambition is politically supported. I’m glad we still have a voice in the Irish Parliament ready to ask that question every day.