As world leaders prepare to meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, Climate Activists across Ireland are beginning to mobilise for a day of Global Action. On November 6th Demonstrations will be taking place in every major city in Ireland and across the world. The COP26 Coalition was set up to help build these demonstrations, coalition members include environment and development NGOs, trade unions, farmers, grassroots community campaigns, youth groups, migrant and racial justice networks and progressive political parties.
Local activists have organised a public online meeting ahead of the Demos with activists from Carlow, Kildare, Laois and Dublin uniting. Local Cllr Adrienne Wallace will be speaking at the event alongside PBP TD Brid Smith, environmental scientists and others. The meeting will take place on Zoom on Monday 1st of November at 7pm, the link can be found on Facebook & Instagram by searching ‘@WallacePBP’.
Brid Smith TD said “The COP26 Coalition will be mobilising on November 6th across the world to demand climate justice. The Irish demands are: Invest in Green Jobs & a Just Transition, Free, Green & Frequent Public Transport, No More Unsustainable Data Centres, Ban Investment in New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure, Including LNG Terminal, Sustainable Agriculture & a Just Transition for Small Farmers.”
She added “The decisions made at COP26 will shape how governments respond (or not) to the climate crisis. So far, governments have done too little too late; colluding with corporations behind green washed ‘solutions’ that actually don’t exist yet, that don’t address the scale of the problem, and in many cases rely on more exploitation of people and planet. Justice won’t be handed to us by world leaders or delivered by corporations. Only we can imagine and build the future that works for all of us.”
Cllr Wallace concluded “It’s important we act local but think Global. The climate crisis poses the biggest threat yet to Rural Ireland. Farmers and small villages and towns will be the worst hit with the increased risk of floods and droughts that will lead to unsustainable crop yields.
“We have also already seen local Special Areas of Conservation threatened with industrial scale wind farms. We need sustainable renewable energy that works in tandem with the local environment and community – but we need people power if we want to see real change. Anyone interested in getting involved in climate activism should join the meeting and the demo.”