Senator Alice-Mary Higgins urges Government to “Step up the Speed and Ambition on Climate Action”

Alice Mary Higgins Climate Bill Report Launch 1
Alice Mary Higgins Climate Bill Report Launch 1

JOC on Climate publishes report with 78 recommendations to improve Climate Bill. 

 After eight weeks of intense pre-legislative scrutiny, the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action’s today published its official report on the ‘Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020’ including 78 “significant recommendations on how the Bill should be strengthened.

 

Independent Senator Alice-Mary Higgins, a member of the committee said: “From all the testimony we heard, it was clear that the draft Climate Bill did not reflect the ambition or urgency demanded by civil society, scientists or by environmental activists who know we are running out of time. I believe we have produced a strong report with significant recommendations and I urge the Government to make sure those recommendations are clearly reflected in the re-drafting of the Bill.”

“There was a deep and serious engagement in this process from the experts who testified and from all of us across the Committee. Ireland really needs to step up the speed and ambition on Climate Action and that requires strong legislation and firm targets.”

 “Our Committee has recommended that weak language like “pursue climate neutrality” by 2050 be replaced by stronger commitments to “achieve climate neutrality. I also believe that a focus on 2050 is not enough when it is what we do in the next ten years that will matter most. That is why I believe one of the Committee’s most important recommendations is our call for the inclusion of a “national minimum interim target for 2030” in the text of the Bill.”

 “Rec. 33. National minimum Interim targets that put Ireland on a pathway to achieving the National Climate Objective should be set out in the Bill. These should include an interim target for 2030 of 51% reductions based on 2018 levels.”

 Senator Higgins noted that “the ‘51% by 2030’ would put a commitment already made in the Programme for Government into law. There were witnesses who made the case for a much higher 2030 target and some of us would have preferred that, but the important thing is that there needs to be a legally binding 2030 baseline which drives early action. This is separate from the carbon budget process, where the Climate Advisory Council will propose 5 year budgets based to the latest scientific information, which may of course be more ambitious The Committee also recommended ways to strengthen the carbon budgeting process including measures to avoid overreliance on unproven future carbon capture technologies when planning carbon budgets.”

 Senator Higgins noted “This is the UN Decade of Action, just ten years to deliver on the Paris Agreement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and we have recommended stronger commitments to both these treaties in the Bill. We have also suggested that actions under this Bill should not just “have regard to” but “be consistent with” all our international climate obligations and the best IPCC Climate Science.”

 “Biodiversity and nature based solutions are deeply linked with climate action and we recommended a number of ways that should be recognised in the Bill. We also noted the absence Just Transition and recommended the strong inclusion of both Just Transition and Climate Justice in the redrafted Bill.”

 Senator Higgins concluded “We have also made recommendations to strengthen the power of citizens and communities to hold Government to account on climate. Both public and political pressure will be needed to drive the action needed. This pre-legislative scrutiny is just the beginning and I look forward to further engagement on the final Bill when it starts its legislative journey through the Oireachtas.”

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Senator Higgins calls on Irish Government to step up on climate justice ahead of COP27

At the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action this week, ahead of COP27, the Committee heard powerful testimony from NGO's and activists working for climate justice ahead. The Committee were reminded of the stark reality by activist Elizabeth Wathuti who told us that "We are witnessing devastating Loss & Damage right now. From the devastating flooding across West and Central Africa; to the prolonged drought across the horn of Africa that has seen five consecutive rainy seasons fail."

NGOs highlighted the need for a number of policy measures to ensure that principles of climate justice are reflected in our global effort. A proper loss and damage facility, Ireland following Denmark's lead and beginning to make loss and damage payments as an individual country, proper climate finance and a fossil-fuel non-proliferation treaty are some of the key policy measures we were told are fundamental to climate justice.

When officials from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications came in, I specifically, asked them to ensure Ireland's support for a loss and damage facility for Global South countries and begin making payments as an individual country, I sought clarification that both loss and damage and climate finance measures would be additional to existing aid commitments and pushed for information on how Ireland intends to meet the 30% by 2030 methane pledge made at COP26.

I also sought a commitment that Ireland would support the inclusion of human rights in negotiated texts and a commitment that Ireland would sign the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action.

Those who are already suffering the worst effects of the climate crisis and who have done the least to cause it, have been consistently let down by wealthy countries. Ireland must fight for climate justice at COP27.