Sir, – Michael McDowell makes an absurd and untenable argument (Opinion, June 30th) that Ireland should aim to merely be “in the chasing pack” in fighting climate change.
Addressing the climate emergency requires an international response for a global situation. Ireland, as one of the top-10 richest economies on the planet by some measures, must play a lead role and put pressure on other larger economies to follow suit.
The rhetoric of climate control is not “aspirational and vague” as Mr McDowell suggests. More or less all credible scientists accept the clear and demonstrable facts of the climate emergency.
He puts forward a range of poorly thought-through reasons as to why Ireland may as well be slow adopters.
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The Government’s Climate Action Plan sets ambitious targets for electric vehicle and renewable energy uptake by 2030, by which time technologies and production costs will have moved on very considerably. To be less ambitious would be akin to making decisions now based on technologies available in 2012. Rather than taking a backseat, Ireland should invest in research to ensure the pace of technological change helps us to meet these necessary ambitions.
Reducing or limiting the national herd is a difficult, political decision. It should best be done within the confines of a “just transition”. This would mean protecting the small producers who produce the best, grass-fed, quality produce. They also contribute most to their communities and are best placed to harmonise their production practices within surrounding eco-systems. Reductions should be targeted to come from the large-scale producers who are best placed to diversify. Regrettably this is far from the case.
It is encouraging that real political leadership has emerged so that Ireland can justifiably cast off the label of climate laggard. Mr McDowell’s arguments need to be quickly dismissed.
Ireland needs to be a leader in the race to create a new climate economy from which we will all benefit. – Yours, etc,
DAVID O’CONNOR,
Head of Environment &
Planning
Technological University
Dublin, Dublin 1.
Sir, – Michael McDowell (Opinion, June 30th) seems to think that the solution to climate change and biodiversity problems is to let other countries solve the problem while this “special” country should proceed as normal and increase the problem in our own small way. – Yours, etc,
DIARMUID O’LEARY
Kilfinane,
Co Limerick.