Climate Change Ard Fheis speech- de Brún MEP

29 February, 2008

‘First of all I want to comment on how encouraged and happy I am to see motions on the need to tackle climate change coming from cumainn across the country. 

 

Climate change is a huge issue and one on which we need to get to grips with as a movement. It is neither a northern issue nor a southern issue but an all-Ireland issue and is very much part of international politics too.  

 

I welcome the motions on the clár which map out where we need to get to and how we can get there. Ireland can become a clean, innovative economy ready for the 21st century and Sinn Féin as the only all-Ireland party of influence can lead this change from Dublin, Belfast and across the thirty-two counties. 

 

The recent Stern report and the 4th report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change leave no room for doubt that climate change is occurring and accelerating and that no more time can be wasted. In response to the ever accumulating evidence the European Parliament has set-up a Committee on Climate Change of which I am a  member. Through this committee, I have seen how a long-term coordinated policy is needed which will map out how Climate Change needs to be arrested sector-by-sector is necessary. Transport, industry, research and almost every other policy that we will be discussing here this weekend are linked to the fight against climate change. Republicans must develop, as a first step, a sound scientific and progressive approach as outlined within these motions. Following on from adoption of these motions we must, if we are to be taken seriously in political debate, - whether about the economy or agriculture (??)-  learn to adapt our thinking so as to include the fight against climate change in all aspects of policy-making and political decision-taking.  

 

In this regard, I must single out the excellent work of our councillors on Dublin Coty Council in spearheading the adoption a climate change strategy for Dublin and the work of our assembly team in prioritising the issue in our submission on the Programme for Government. 

 

Climate change if left untackled will bring disasters to our world and wreak havoc on our environment, economy and society. As a developed country Ireland should live up to its responsibilities under international law and commit to reducing our carbon emissions. As a country which largely was bypassed by the earliest phases of the industrial revolution we are well placed to create a clean, green economy. However, successive governments have completely neglected environmental protection and carbon reductions. Economic growth was prioritised above all else including climate protection responsibilities. Today, by adopting these excellent motions Sinn Féin is signalling that in government, North or South, we will fulfil our environmental responsibilities. It is imperative for the environment and economy that we do so.  

 

The targets of an 80% in carbon output reduction by 2050 and a target of at least 3% year on year reductions are realistic only with political will. Other countries already have great momentum built-up from decades now of sound environmental management, Ireland is sadly starting from a standing position. I believe over the coming years we should be looking at the concept of a Climate Protection Bill in which these targets would be codified in law. Such a Bill as called for environmental NGOs would seem to be the only way of guaranteeing that sustainable environmental development is programmed into government thinking.  

 

I commend these motions as practical party policy and as a signal to everybody on this island that Sinn Féin is 100% committed to playing its part and pushing others to play their part in the fight against climate change. ‘