Tag Archives: climate change

A CLARE farm leader has taken issue with comments made by Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Pippa Hackett, over controversial proposals to address Climate Change. In an interview with The Clare Champion, Minister Hackett said Ireland has to meet its Climate Change targets under the Paris Agreement and couldn’t control what happens in Brazil, which has to meet its own environmental obligations. “Ireland has to do what we can. Using Carbon Leakage not to take any action is a waste of time in my book and the government’s book, I am discounting that. “Ireland’s grasslands are a net emitter of carbon. We farm on a lot of peaty soils. When that is drained, that emits carbon. I think over the last 15 years we probably have lost more hedgerows than we have planted.” However, her comments have been challenged by Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) general secretary, Eddie Punch. Minister Hackett believes there is probably …

CLARE County Council is to ask government to call on the EU to introduce a clearer system for consumers assessing the cost of purchasing environmentally-friendly products and retrofitting their homes. It follows the tabling of a motion from Councillor Pat McMahon who said the situation in terms of accessing independent information on costs and savings was a major problem for consumers. “We are facing into the future with many options available on environmentally-friendly cars and other products to save energy in the home,” the Fianna Fáil member noted. “The biggest problem is the scarcity of independent assessors. For example, it’s difficult to get an accurate idea of how the savings that something like triple-glazed windows would produce over ten years. It’s the same for other items that can be retrofitted to save energy.” When it comes to motoring, the Newmarket-based councillor said the situation was also confusing for the consumer. “There are many options available now when it comes to …

GAMMA Location Intelligence, which provides map and data analysis to insurance companies and local authorities for risk assessment purposes, has revealed that 7,376 Clare homes and 1,320 commercial premises are at heightened risk of coastal flooding by 2050, due to climate change. In absolute terms Clare would be the county with the third highest amount of addresses affected,behind Louth and Dublin, but in terms of the proportion at risk it would be second highest, at 13.3%, only behind Louth. The findings are based on a predicted global temperature increase of two degrees celsius. This increase would cause sea levels to rise and bring about more extreme weather events, leading to higher and more frequent coastal flooding. Richard Cantwell, Senior Spatial Data Scientist, Gamma Location Intelligence, said: “Global warming is already having an impact on our daily lives, but the effects of it will become more tangible and extreme in the years to come. “With increasing global temperatures, sea levels are …

THE Minister for Communications and the Environment, Denis Naughten, will visit the ESB Moneypoint powerstation on Wednesday next. Clare TD Michael Harty, who has arranged the visit, said it is an important one, as the future of Moneypoint is uncertain. “This is a very important visit as the programme for a partnership government has outlined that in anticipation of Moneypoint coming to the end of its operating life in its current configuration, the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources will identify, as soon as possible, the most suitable replacement low carbon generation technology,” Dr Harty said. “To achieve this ambitious goal, all State bodies will need to engage positively with local communities to manage the transition to a low carbon future. The partnership government has committed to develop a low carbon transition and mitigation plan, within six months, which will examine specific measures to reduce emissions in electricity generation and will outline how new technologies can be ready …

Hundreds of people are expected to gather for a climate justice event in North Clare this Sunday. Part of a worldwide movement, people from around the county will gather in Lahinch to send a message about global warming to world leaders. “The tide will be out and hundreds of people will come together from all over the county, including children, especially those involved in An Taisce’s Green-Schools programme. We will write #EarthToParis, which is a hashtag people are using all over the world at similar gatherings on the same day, in the sand. I have a drone camera and will take an aerial photograph of the event and everyone gathered around the writing and tag it and Tweet it,” explained Róisín Ní Ghairbhith, event organiser. “World leaders are meeting on December 7 and 8 in Paris to discuss climate change and we are sending them a message that we want them to come up with good decisions and good solutions. …