FRIENDS OF the Earth Ireland has called for a “step change” in Irish climate change policy through a legal commitment to “decarbonising” our economy.
The environmental group says the chances of achieving a just and effective agreement at the Copenhagen summit on climate change are slim without more substantial cuts in emissions from developed countries. “Developed countries such as the US and those of us in the EU are responsible for the vast majority of the greenhouse gases currently in the atmosphere,” says Molly Walsh, who is attending the Copenhagen conference for Friends of the Earth Ireland.
“We need to start putting adequate targets on the table and committing to the urgent cuts in emissions that are required to prevent catastrophic climate change.”
Friends of the Earth director Oisín Coghlan said it was time for Ireland to finally “step up” on climate change in Wednesday’s budget. “The biggest contribution Ireland can make to the international negotiations is to publish a strong draft law that commits us to urgently decarbonising our economy.”
Ms Walsh said she took the “low carbon route” to Copenhagen by travelling overland.
