David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Of course the Minister is welcome to the House, but he did not say one thing on this issue that was in the slightest bit convincing. It was all bland comment. We were told that there is nothing to get upset or worried about. Where are we in legislative terms? We had the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018, passed by 78 to 48, which then went to the joint committee, where it is now stuck, going nowhere, because the Government is refusing to refer it on. Last year was the fourth hottest year on record ever. Global populations of fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles have declined, on average, by 60% between 1970 and 2014. The population of these life forms has more than halved in that period. According to the World Meteorological Association, greenhouse gas concentrations are once again at record levels, and if the current trend continues, we may see temperature increases of 3% to 5% by the end of the century. That is an astonishing, catastrophic situation. Ireland is still rated as the worst performing EU country. It is 48th in the list, and remains in the group of very low performing countries. The performance in the greenhouse gas emissions category is rated as very low. It is also occupying a spot among the low-ranking performers in the energy use category. The Minister made no reference to that. He merely gave bland reassurances.

Greenhouse gas emissions are rising rather than falling, according to the climate change advisory council in this country, which says that Ireland is completely off course in terms of achieving its 2020 and 2030 emissions targets. That is where we are. We are not in the bland world of the Minister. Some things are changing. The burning of coal is being phased out at Moneypoint, where they are using biomass instead. However, it is being co-fired with peat. It is another half measure. We are supposed to be reducing our emissions by one million tonnes per year, but we are actually increasing it by two million tonnes per year. We should stop and think about that for a moment. It is easy to rattle off these figures and not think about them. Think about what that means. We are to reduce emissions by one million tonnes but we are increasing them by two million. Our mass emissions, if I am correct, are 62 million tonnes a year. We are talking about gas in the atmosphere. It is not solid. It is 62 million tonnes of carbon going into the atmosphere from this country every year. It is a frightening thought.

I see no vision whatsoever in what the Minister has said. There is no sense of urgency or of an overall plan. The entire planet is in this together. We are extraordinarily lucky in this country. Think of the small islands in our oceans that are on the point of being submerged and the populations wiped out or being transferred elsewhere. It is dreadful to think of it. Looking at the EU's Paris Agreement compliance figures, Sweden is at the top, with 77% compliance. Ireland is 27th, at 21%. That is shameful.

I will end by quoting Professor John FitzGerald, who is chairman of the climate change advisory council. He said: "We cannot reach 2020 [targets] even if we stand on our heads." We cannot reach those targets. Where in this House today is the sense of urgency? My good friend and colleague, Senator Humphreys, mentioned the demonstration. I was going to mention that too. I was very impressed by the group. I did not know there were as many as 600 children, but they certainly raised a racket. They were right to raise a racket. This is their world. I am 75. This does not really affect me. I am not going to be around when the worst of these things are happening, although I have been a witness to climate change and have seen these tremendous storms and the changing temperatures we are experiencing. At my house in Cyprus my neighbour, a very nice man called Savas, has always made a point of looking after his vineyards, but has said that over recent years he cannot go out as it is too hot. It is over 40°C. It is too hot for a Cypriot farmer to go out to do what generations of his family have done.I have not seen any sign of urgency. Similarly when the global leaders of economics, banking, industry and all the rest met at Davos, I do not recall there being a single word spoken about climate change. They really do not give a damn and it is about time they woke up.