‘We’ve a decade left to avert a complete climate breakdown’ – Kilkenny protest
KILKENNY city-centre erupted in a riot of noise and colour today as students and activists took to the streets to highlight the dire need for “immediate” climate change action.
The strike, organised by the Schools’ Climate Action Network (SCAN) and the Kilkenny Climate Action Group, follows a series of similar strikes in Kilkenny and across the country in March.
The protestors are urging Kilkenny County Council to declare a ‘climate emergency’ and take a leading role among local authorities to tackle climate change.
Saffron Ramsbottom of the Kilkenny Climate Action Group starkly illustrated the need for local and national governments to act now before it’s too late.
She told KilkennyNow.ie: “We have a decade left to avert a complete climate breakdown, yet our emissions are still rising. Ireland is the second highest contributor of carbon emissions per capita in Europe.
“The State is liable to pay for tens to hundreds of millions for carbon credits as we will not meet our greenhouse gas emissions targets next year. To change this we need to first recognise and verbalise our current predicament: we are in a climate emergency. This is where the climate declaration comes into play.”
Ms Ramsbottom added: “The Dáil announced two weeks ago that our government has declared a ‘State of Climate and Biodiversity Emergency’. This, in itself, is a small, symbolic step, but declaring a climate emergency is an effective way to engage the public sector, business and society in stepping up action to the level needed.”
Similar strikes, all under the theme of ‘Fridays for Future’, are also taking place in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Longford today.
PHOTO: Members of the Kilkenny Climate Action Group protest in Dublin
