Fossil Free Future
We need to get off fossil fuels fast. Ireland has excellent renewable energy resources, but our energy system uses fossil fuels for about 80% of its energy needs in transport, heating and electricity.
At Friends of the Earth we are working to make sure that Ireland’s energy system is fit for the future, with no more investment in fossil fuel infrastructure, no more exploration for fossil fuels and an energy system that values and supports citizens and communities participating in and benefiting from our renewable energy transition.
ACTION: Make your promise on LNG a policy!
We want to see a robust Government policy statement on Liquefied Natural Gas
On April 28th 2020 both Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin signed a statement saying "Both of our parties accept that as we move towards carbon neutrality, it does not make sense to build new large scale fossil fuel infrastructure such as liquefied natural gas import terminals"
Following this the Programme for Government was agreed, which committed to developing a policy statement to prevent the importation of fracked gas.
But the Government has done nothing to make good on this promise, and the threat is growing every day that the fossil fuel industry will start to build liquified natural gas terminals in Ireland. There are now potentially 5 terminals in the making, and plans to turn Ireland into the gateway location for the transportation of fossil gas though Ireland into the UK and Europe. As a country we were groundbreaking in establishing a ban on fracking in 2017, so to import fracked gas from abroad is tantamount to offshoring the injustice that communities subjected to fracking face. It would also add fuel to the climate crisis.
Email your Government TD's and Senators today and tell them to Act Now to prevent LNG terminals - floating or fixed - in Ireland.
Catch up on Community Energy - October 2020
Issued in the blog on October 19, 2020 at 11:30:00.
After years of campaigning on Community Energy, things are now looking bright! Last month Eirgrid held the first ever Irish renewable electricity auction, which gave the go ahead to 82 wind and solar parks, including two community owned solar parks from our partners at Community Power.
Community Power is Irelands first every 100% renewable and community owned electricity provider. You can switch your home or work electricity provider to Community Energy and know that you are supporting the change with clean, green and sound energy.
Catch up on No New Gas - October 2020
Issued in the blog on October 19, 2020 at 11:22:00.
We have 10 years to radically transform our energy system. Cutting our ties with fossil fuels to lower emissions and enable cleaner energy solutions is vital.
Through our work on the No New Gas campaign we have been busy doing extensive research and issuing submissions to European consultations to keep the pressure on decision makers to end fossil fuel dependency.
Community Power Success!
Issued in news on September 11, 2020 at 09:39:00.
Community Power Success!
New support for community owned renewables puts power in the people's hands
The results of the first Renewable Electricity Support Scheme Auction (RESS 1) were announced today, granting support for 82 wind and solar projects (including 8 community led projects). This support scheme will see a further 2,200 GWh of renewable electricity generated in Ireland.
Among the winners includes two solar parks with Community Power in Counties Mayo and Galway.
Rebutting ESB and GNI responses to our report on “The Role of Public Bodies in Driving Ireland’s Decarbonisation”
Issued in news on September 10, 2020 at 13:31:00.
The responses of the ESB and GNI, as per an Irish Times article “ESB rejects report findings on fossil fuel ‘lock-in’ and defends record” skirt the central point of the report published by Friends of the Earth. If their policies and strategies are indeed in line with international and national commitments on climate action, it follows that they should have no objection to an amendment of their mandates to align with those commitments.
Report: The Role of Public Bodies in Driving Ireland’s Decarbonisation
Issued in the blog on September 07, 2020 at 20:26:00.
Report: The Role of Public Bodies in Driving Ireland’s Decarbonisation
Without urgent Government intervention, the ESB, Gas Networks Ireland and their regulator could lock Ireland into fossil fuel use for decades.
Friends of the Earth Ireland via its involvement in the Citizens for Financial Justice European project commissioned an independent researcher to examine the role of public bodies in driving Ireland’s decarbonisation - focusing on the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
Government must act to stop public bodies undermining Irish and international climate targets
Issued in news on September 07, 2020 at 12:30:00.
For Immediate Release
07 September 2020:12.30pm
The ESB, Gas Networks Ireland and their regulator could lock Ireland into fossil fuel use for decades.
Research published today [1] has found that the Electricity Supply Board (ESB), Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) are undermining Irish and international climate targets. The ESB, GNI and CRU all address decarbonisation in their strategies or mission statements in the form of “low-carbon” commitments. However this new research demonstrates that their respective statutory authorisations (i.e. mandates) do not specify compliance with national and international climate law, are not fully aligned with Paris Agreement obligations and do not properly address principles of climate justice or sustainable development.
Fracked LNG a key litmus test of Government promises on climate action
Issued in news on July 29, 2020 at 15:51:00.
Friends of the Earth
For Immediate Release
29 July 2020
Campaigners call on Government to follow through on commitments made in Programme for Government
The threat of LNG terminals loom large
Fracking campaigners have called on the Government to follow through on their commitments in the Programme for Government to prevent the development of new fracked gas import terminals in Ireland. The controversial Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminals are planned for the Shannon Estuary and the Port of Cork, and if constructed would import fracked gas from the United States into Ireland.
The Programme for Government states,
European support and funding for fossil gas must end
Issued in news on July 17, 2020 at 09:53:00.
Friends of the Earth
For Immediate Release
17 July 2020
Friends of the Earth joins over 30 civil society organisations to demand a change to current EU regulation on priority EU energy infrastructure.
Support and funding for fossil gas infrastructure must end.
Friends of the Earth is calling on the European Union to stop funding infrastructure that could lock Member States, including Ireland, into using climate-wrecking fossil gas for decades. Friends of the Earth is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition of over 30 civil society organisations [1], which has submitted to a public consultation on the future of Europe’s energy system [2].
Catching up on Gas Campaign
Issued in the blog on June 17, 2020 at 23:03:00.
To bridge the gap between gas and plastic, Meaghan, who is our Head of Mobilisation, joined the panel for our Sick of Plastic webinar and spoke of the connection between the global glut of plastics on the market and the fossil fuel companies.
Catching up on Community Energy
Issued in the blog on June 17, 2020 at 23:01:00.
Covid-19 created some delays for our Solar Schools 2020 winners but we will soon be back on track getting solar panels on their roofs. This year we had 8 winners and 8 runners up. Our winning schools will be generating their own clean energy and championing the solar revolution in Ireland.
Congratulations to all our winners!
We can’t wait to work with these primary and secondary schools and get going with their local climate action projects.
Special congratulations to St Munchins in Limerick who became the newest Solar School this month! Their newly installed6 kw array of solar PV panels will generate about 5,070 kWh per year for the school, to power lights, computers, photocopiers etc., saving about €800 while avoiding 3,000kg of CO2 a year.
