“That Cork County Council asks the government, and members of the Joint Committee on Communications Climate Action and Environment (both TDs and Senators) to bring the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill before the Dáil for consideration such that in this time of climate emergency it may be considered for passing into legislation, with or without appropriate amendments, without delay as an acknowledgment of the fact that we face a climate emergency and cannot hope to limit global temperature rises without leaving 80% of already proven reserves in the ground.”
Introduction to motion:
In February 2018, a year ago, a Dáil majority voted to support the principle of the Climate Emergency Bill which calls for a ban on the issuing of licences for exploration of fossil fuels off Ireland’s coasts. The Dáil unanimously agreed to refer the Bill to the relevant Select Committee of TDs for detailed scrutiny. Senators were included in the deliberations. In December 2018, the committee was expected to send a report to the Dail and the Bill would then have gone to another committee for any amendments. But the Joint Committee was deadlocked and since then the Bill has been caught in a procedural dispute as to whether it needs a majority of the Joint Committee of TDs and Senators to progress it or just a majority of the Select Committee of TDs only.
We are in a climate emergency. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) has warned that the next ten years will be the most important in our history in making a fast and fair transition to a decarbonised economy.
If we exploit all the fossil fuel reserves already on the books of fossil fuel companies, it would result in a rise in global temperatures well in excess of the temperature limits agreed to in the Paris Agreement. The expert consensus is that 80% already-known fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground if we are to limit global warming to 2 degC. It makes no sense to explore for more fossil fuels that cannot be burned.
Ireland’s current path will see us missing our 2020 climate and energy emission reduction targets. Rather than decrease, our greenhouse gas emissions actually increased by 7% since 2015. If we continue as we are, it will be virtually impossible to make our 2030 targets. Enacting this Bill would send a global signal that Ireland recognises that the world is in a state of climate emergency, that the next decade is critical and that we will pursue our energy security, jobs and other social and economic goals without the option of new fossil fuel reserve development.
If we do this, Ireland would be the fifth country globally to ban fossil fuel exploration. In France in 2017, for example, legislation was passed to end new licences for fossil fuel exploration and to cease all oil and gas extraction by 2040.
People all around Ireland and around the world recognise that we are in a climate emergency. Tens of thousands of people will take part in climate marches at the end of this week. And yet the Climate Emergency Bill is stuck in a procedural limbo such that it cannot be voted on by the legislators whom those same people voted into office.
I am asking for your support for:
- Amend the motion slightly to better reflect that state of climate emergency:
“That Cork County Council asks the government, and members of the Joint Committee on Communications Climate Action and Environment (both TDs and Senators) to bring the Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill before the Dáil for consideration such that in this time of climate emergency it may be considered for passing into legislation, with or without appropriate amendments, without delay as an acknowledgment of the fact that we face a climate emergency and cannot hope to limit global temperature rises without leaving 80% of already proven reserves in the ground.”
- Circulate the motion to all local authorities such that their elected members can also reflect the desire of their electorate in supporting actions that commit Ireland to acting on the current climate emergency.
I agree with Cllr O’Sullivan’s suggestion that we would send a message of support to the students on Friday. We can make it clear to them that at least we as their local government representatives are aware of the current climate emergency.