September 15, 2023 View all news Photocall NoticeGlobal Day of Action to fight fossil fuels: Novelty, heart-string pulling photo stunt to take place on Sandymount Beach as world leaders meet for UN Climate Summit and people take to the streets all over the world calling for an end to climate wrecking fossil fuels**Friends of the Earth staff, climate campaigners and civil society representatives available for interview**When: Sunday 17th September at 12 noon - as World leaders gather for UN climate talks in New York Where: Sandymount Strand, Dublin - see Google map location hereWho: The photo stunt is being organised by Friends of the Earth and has been endorsed by a range of civil society, overseas development and grassroots organisations including Trócaire, Christian Aid, Not Here Not Anywhere, Young Friends of the Earth and Christian Blind Mission. Members of the public, families, children and climate campaigners will also be present. There will be people available for interview at the action.What: A visually striking and emotive photo stunt where children and activists will pose beside writing in the sand and banners calling on the Irish Government to support global efforts to “End Fossil Fuels” and “Save What We Love” ( Sandymount Stand itself is included under the “save what we love” banner as the climate crisis threatens to strike it off the map by 2050.) The action will take place against the backdrop of the Poolbeg Towers and the Irish Sea and will feature a child holding a papier mache planet Earth that needs protection from climate-wrecking fossil fuels. Why: Sunday’s photo stunt is part of a wave of global mobilisations calling for an end to fossil fuels as national leaders gather in New York for two UN summits, one on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, and a special Climate Ambition Summit, called by UN Secretary General, Antonio Gutteres, who has become increasingly outspoken in his criticism of the fossil fuels and the need for urgent action. The three Coalition leaders, the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and the Minister for Environment will all be in New York this week.This historic mobilisation renews and reinforces the globally coordinated efforts focused on ending the era of fossil fuels. The scale of this mobilisation and the urgency of the moment underscore the devastating impacts of recent record breaking heat, deadly floods, and increased extreme weather events. Campaigners taking part in the photo stunt at Sandymount Stand are calling on the Irish Government to support global efforts to end the fossil fuel era by endorsing a global treaty to end fossil fuels (termed the Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty). They are also demanding that the Irish Government reject the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure, particularly any Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal that would lock Ireland into using polluting methane gas for decades to come. Friends of the Earth is also calling on the Government to drive down demand for fossil fuel energy by setting a date by which fossil fuel boiler installations will be banned and clamping down on the unchecked growth of energy guzzling data centres. Suggested photo captionCivil society and climate action groups on Sandymount Strand today [17th September] as they call on the Government to take urgent action to phase out climate-wrecking fossil fuels. Their demonstration is part of a global wave of demonstrations and marches that are taking place across the world today calling for a fast and fair phase out of fossil fuels. It coincides world leaders gathering in New York a UN Climate Ambition Summit taking place this week. ENDS