‘Lunacy’ of Trump’s climate position poses problem - Ryan

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan says that the “lunacy” of Donald Trump’s position on climate change is going to be a huge problem.

“The people behind Trump - they just don’t believe in science, they’re completely outside any norm,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

He said: “We have to double our efforts in Europe and elsewhere to actually rid ourselves of the dependency on American oil.

“Let’s say ‘no’ to Exxon, ‘no’ to Texaco, let’s go to a better, alternative future and leave America behind us. That’s the only way to put manners on it.

“America can do its own thing, it’s going to damage America. That’s what we’re up against - the lunacy that is now released.”

On RTÉ’s Morning Ireland Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources Denis Naughten, speaking from Marrakesh, said delegates at the climate change conference were very concerned about the president-elect’s position on climate change.

“The American delegation is very determined to push ahead with the climate agenda, but what changes will happen after January remain to be seen,” he said.

Mr Ryan said Mr Trump’s dismissal of climate change is a huge problem. He said coalition between the USA, Russia and Saudi Arabia was a major issue.

He said: “They are the three blocks to a better, cleaner, safer future. We’re going to have to fight against them, actually stand up to them.

“We’ve had this in the past, back in 2000 with George W Bush refusing to sign the Kyoto Agreement and that held back climate cooperation for about ten years.

“China is investing more than Europe at this stage. Europe was falling behind, this is an opportunity to turn that around, and start leading again.”

“The alternative is the use of electricity in our transport system, towards better public transport, more efficient manufacturing.”

He said the clean, low-carbon future is a “better economy”.

“That’s how we take Trump on - say you stay in the past, we’re going into the future and hopefully in four years they won’t re-elect Trump.”

He said that the Irish Government had not done enough in the past five years. “We need to have a good hard long look at ourselves and to start making change,” he said.

“It’s the lack of investment in public transport that has most motorists pulling out their hair - they don’t want to be stuck in traffic jams.”