Govt urged to lead by example during EU Presidency

Ireland's oldest environmental group, An Taisce, is calling on the government to demonstrate strong leadership on climate change during its six-month tenure hosting the EU presidency. The organization insists that the government must "walk the walk as well as talking the talk." John Sweeney, Professor Emeritus of geography at Maynooth University and a member of An Taisce’s Climate Committee, stated that progress on the ground needs to be more definitive and actions must align more effectively with the government's rhetoric. He believes the government should present the scientific facts and implement immediate measures to prevent the situation from worsening. Sweeney specifically pointed to the government's alleged disregard for the Climate Change Act, noting that three bills currently before the Dáil are being ignored. He warned that downplaying the Act could have future repercussions for the government. The regulation of tech companies is expected to be a key issue during Ireland's EU presidency, with some member states advocating for a digital tax. Dr. Aideen Ó Dochartaigh, Assistant Professor in accounting at DCU and another member of An Taisce’s Climate Committee, highlighted the potential conflict between Ireland's climate obligations and its economic policies. She expressed concern that Ireland might, as in the past with the Apple tax case, end up defending the interests of tech companies rather than its citizens, whose electricity bills are rising due to the strain on the grid from data centers. These data centers also significantly impact Ireland's climate goals. The escalating effects of climate change on health have become increasingly apparent. Recent heatwaves across Europe have caused thousands of excess deaths, and wildfires have claimed lives in several countries, leading to poor air quality for millions. Dr. Tony Holohan, Director of the One Health Centre at UCD and a board member at An Taisce, emphasized that these impacts cannot be overlooked. "We have sufficient evidence to know that the climate emergency is here with us now. It's manifesting on human health right now. It's manifesting on well-being right now, and there are actions that we can take that we know can be effective in both helping us to adapt and helping us to mitigate and prevent these things from happening," Dr. Holohan said. He sees the EU Presidency as a crucial opportunity for Ireland to influence Europe's climate direction, especially as the continent faces interconnected challenges in energy, water, and food security.

“

It would be much more convincing if, on the ground, progress was being made in a more definitive way, and if the sort of actions on the ground match the rhetoric more effectively, and that's probably not happening at the moment.