Webinar: Fair Share or Falling Short?

Opposing loopholes and demanding justice in Ireland’s approach to climate action

Join us for a webinar and online workshop at 18.30 on 18th September

To address the climate crisis properly, it’s crucial that high emitting countries like Ireland do our fair share of global efforts to reduce pollution. But, at the moment, there’s a risk that the Irish Government could be trying to find ways to do the exact opposite. 

Instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with those most impacted by climate change, there is a real risk that the Government could seek out loopholes that would allow it to slack off on its climate commitments. If the Government decides to pursue this path, it could not only weaken Ireland’s climate action but also set a dangerous precedent by placing an even greater burden on communities in poorer, food-insecure countries.

But it’s not a done deal yet. If lots of us take action, we’ve got a chance at pushing the Government to choose climate justice over cooking the books (and the planet). Register for this webinar at 6.30pm on 18th September to find out how you can act on this crucial issue.

The Government and the Dáil will be deciding on Ireland’s pollution limits (or carbon budgets) for 2031 to 2040 very soon. A key moment will be the Oireachtas Committee on Climate providing its recommendations on these proposed carbon budgets.

We need to push the Committee to tell the Government that we need real pollution cuts and a just transition that leaves no one behind. We need them to tell the Government that Ireland must do its fair share of global climate action, that we must stand in solidarity with those who have done the least to cause climate breakdown but are suffering most from its impacts. 

During our webinar on 18th September we’ll bring you up to speed with what’s happening and provide some guidance on what we can each do to push for fair and ambitious climate action. 

The webinar will include an online letter writing workshop, where you’ll have an opportunity to write to members of the Climate Committee, with support from our expert speakers. This Committee will make its recommendations to the Government by the 6th October, so September is a crucial period to push them to do the right thing. 

We’ve some brilliant speakers lined up for this webinar and workshop:

• Sara Shaw from Friends of the Earth International will give us a global perspective on climate fair shares. She’ll talk about how we can determine if a country is doing enough to reduce pollution - based on its historical emissions and the climate damage it has already caused, its capacity and resources, and its right to develop sustainably. 
• Paul Price, climate science and policy researcher, will give an expert view on the proposed Carbon Budgets for the period 2031-2040, examining crucial issues of fairness and equity. He’ll also shed light on the newly proposed “temperature neutrality’ approach to carbon budgeting, which has recently been criticised for weakening climate ambition and entrenching inequality.

There’ll be time for questions and answers and, most importantly, time for a letter writing workshop where we’ll all work together to push the Climate Committee to choose climate justice over climate inaction.