Bríd Smith TD introduces Climate Emergency Measures Bill 2017
This Bill is designed to prevent the further issue of licenses for oil & gas exploration. Fossil fuels are the major contributors to global warming. LEAVE IT IN THE GROUND has to be the approach to prevent further catastrophic damage to our environment. Ireland, though a small country, could lead by example on this.
With all due respect to the intent of the bill regarding fossil fuel, I am afraid that in it’s current form it is ill-conceived and will do nothing other than leave the Irish nation crippled for the next hundred years and totally unable to utilise what few gas resources may be available. While certain fossil fuels should probably be left in the ground incl the peat which forms what is now a critical part of the Irish ecosystem and natural drainage infrastructure, the use of offshore gas for electricity generation is probably the best way forward to reduce emissions etc while we work on further developments in renewables incl solar and wind – but this will take time and in the meantime, can we really afford to forgo the cheap gas-electricity equation with it’s further value as a revenue stream for the government?
Can we afford NOT to do everything we can to save the planet? There are alternative revenue streams – like taxing the corporations and the very wealthy.