IPCC Scientists to address Dáil Climate Action committee, Wednesday
TD urges Government to listen and act on IPCC report
Taoiseach and Minister accused of “spin, PR and continued inaction on climate change” by Dáil Climate Action Committee member Brid Smith TD
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has said that the visit to Dublin by three IPCC scientists is an opportunity for the Government to “listen, understand and change direction urgently on climate change.”
The TD said that current policies on climate were a scandal in light of the recent IPCC report that gave the global community just 12 years to take radical action to avoid catastrophic and irreversible climate change.
The Climate Action Committee will be addressed by Professor Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Professor Sonia Seneviratne and Dr Pierre- Marie Aubert on Wednesday, November 21.
Bríd Smith said: “If the Government truly understood or accepted the science the first step they would take would be to support the Climate Emergency’s Measures Bill which would ban any future exploration for fossil fuels and send a clear signal to the industry that time is up. Instead, we get more spin, lofty statements and continued inaction.”
The TD said she will be asking the three IPCC representatives what kind of measures are needed to avert temperature increases of 1.5 degrees at tomorrow’s meeting.
She said: “I think it is clear the first step would be supporting a ban on more exploration for fossil fuels, but a massive investment program in public transport and renewables would also be a sane response, instead of plans to grow dairy and beef herds, build more motorways and continue with failed market mechanisms that have delivered nothing on climate over the last 3 decades.”