Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for being in the Chamber. I would like to add my voice to that of Senator Higgins. I also support Sinn Féin's amendment on climate justice. Climate and climate justice is not a subject I have always felt comfortable with, and this definition has shown me the reason for that. I have always felt somewhat on the outside of the conversation on climate justice. I come from a community experience where there is a lot of poverty, fear and a lack of climate literacy. I was always concerned that we did not have a say regarding climate. We do not enjoy or experience the wealth in the same way, yet we are expected in this definition to experience the burden in the same way. That goes right to the heart of the reason this is an issue of poverty and wealth. To define climate justice well enough would feed into a better definition of justice at a local level in terms of just transition where there is currently an absence of definition.

The capabilities approach to climate change, which has been spoken about in the context of these amendments, was developed in the 1980s as an alternative to welfare economics, which brings it right back again to the issue of poverty. Poverty should be a core focus of the capabilities approach and the impact it has on what individuals, states or nations are capable of doing. The capabilities approach is based on two assumptions. The first is that there is a moral imperative to enable people to have the freedom to achieve well-being. The second is that the freedom to achieve well-being is understood in terms of a person's capabilities and their opportunities to do or be what they have reason to value. Adopting a capabilities approach would seek to understand and address inequity, differences in power, resources and authorities that groups have, stemming from combinations of historic, social, political and ecological processes. Climate and a sustainable development policy that expands choices and increases well-being at a local level would enable a transition from fossil fuel-dependent livelihoods, without risking workers or communities in high emissions sectors becoming stranded. Emphasis should be placed on the adoption of a climate justice definition of promoting trust between communities and decision-makers. This means community capacity-building and incorporating local knowledge and expertise into local climate solutions, which would ultimately feed into the overall national framework. An emphasis on community-based climate action, which can be facilitated through a definition that makes a reference to a common but differentiated approach, would ensure that communities feel that their voices are being heard with regard to climate change and that have increasingly better belief in the bottom-up approach.

Unless the Minister addresses the weakness of the definition of climate justice within the Bill, this is not a Bill that the most marginalised communities will be able to get behind because they are not reflected in the very definitions. I put most of the weight of my support behind amendment No. 4, which was tabled by Senator Higgins, as it is the strongest of the three. As usual, she has been generous in developing a number of variations on amendments. I encourage the Minister to make the Bill as strong as possible, so it is fair and equitable, people can get behind it and it protects the most vulnerable.It should also remove the reference to "share the burdens". I do not know how the rest of the Bill can stand if its definitions and principles are not strong enough to protect those who most need protection.