Climate Conversations 2015 is a series of conversations, lectures and debates which started last month and run until May.
They aim to 'Bring people together for a new understanding of climate change'. Coordinated by the Climate Gathering they bring together a number of organisations including environmental, developmental, trade union and business interests.
Three of the five Climate Conversations have taken place. This is a video of the third session 'The sustainable use of our land'. Two more events are scheduled to happen over the next two months under the titles 'Prophetic Voices' and 'The Call to New Horizons' as part of the build up to the UN Climate negotiations in Paris in December 2015.
To view sessions one and two click here
The Climate Conversations were brought together by a number of organisations to try and promote greater understanding of what a low carbon future might bring for Ireland. The collaboration between organisations focused on economic development, labour rights and social and environmental justice is symbolic of the greater cooperation we will need to change our response to the issue. They seek to understand what cultural and social changes are needed, what costs and opportunities may arise and what economic model will best serve all our needs in making this transition.
The debates are being held at a time when our Government has to frame its own policy approach as part of the collective European position in the upcoming UN Climate negotiations in Paris in December 2015.
This initiative has been prompted by a group of participants at previous Climate Gathering events, bringing on board a number of partner organisations. It is open to other interested organisations to join the process. The events are being live streamed and the output shared in an open way.
The events a free to attend. You can register for the upcoming events on eventbrite.ie or by clicking here or the dates below.
Programme
20 April 2015 Session IV: 'Prophetic Voices' - Christ Church Cathedral
10 May 2015 Session V: 'The Call to New Horizons' - Abbey Theatre
New Organic Farming Scheme to Open Shortly
The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Tom Hayes TD, has announced that the new Organic Farming Scheme is to open for applications shortly.
"Applications for the new scheme must be made online, the Minister said, but there will be no requirement to use an Agricultural Advisor to make the applications. The application process itself will be quite simple, and most farmers should have no difficulty in submitting their applications. However, those who prefer to have their advisor make the application on theirbehalf will be able to do so," Minister Hayes confirmed.
The new Scheme will offer significantly increased rates of aid to Organic farmers, both in conversion and when fully established.
"While the formal approval process for the RDP as a whole has still to be completed, we now have a clear understanding with the European Commission as to the substance of the new scheme and the rates of payment that will be made" the Minister said. "Furthermore, having reached this level of agreement, I hope to be in a position to announce the opening of the new Organic Farming Scheme shortly."
Minister Hayes also said that his Department would be writing to all existing Organic Farming Scheme participants very shortly to update them on the position and to advise them of their options.
An Taisce Dismayed by Government's "fait accompli" Regarding the National Climate Change Mitigation Plan
An Taisce - the National Trust for Ireland - has expressed its dismay regarding the government's request for tenders, published on Monday, for an environmental analysis of the national climate change mitigation plan.
The IFA has welcomed the absence of what it calls "divisive and unachievable sectoral targets" in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, and theTaoiseach and Minister Coveney have argued that Ireland's national emissions reduction target for 2030, which is to be agreed at EU level, "must take account of Ireland's specific circumstances including the size and importance of our agri-food sector."
It is therefore dismaying, if unsurprising, to see the government produce a tender document for assessing the national mitigation plan that seems clearly aimed at keeping a firm hand on the rudder insofar as potential impacts on agricultural policy are concerned.
At present, the first national mitigation plan has to be submitted to the government, for approval, within 24 months of enactment of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act. In anticipation of this planned primary legislation, work has already commenced within government on a national mitigation plan. In this regard, the government has put out a request for tenders for an environmental analysis of the mitigation plan which emerges.
Amongst the required academic qualifications for tenderers to satisfy is a degree "in agricultural science or agricultural economics to at least Masters Level." Whilst there are also requirements for persons qualified in environmental science and with experience of ecology, there is no requirement for experts in energy, buildings or sustainable transport.
The tender document says that four key sectors are to be examined: electricity generation, the built environment, transport and agriculture. Given this list, it is totally unclear why agricultural expertise has been singled out as a required criterion whilst other sectoral expertise has not.
Dr. Andrew Jackson, An Taisce's Natural Environment Officer, comments,
"The document states that tenderers must have experience in delivering a similar assessment service in the last five years in the four key sectors mentioned. There is only one consortium we can think of which has carried out something along the lines of a Strategic Environmental Assessment and an Appropriate Assessment of agriculture in Ireland in the past five years - this was led by an agricultural consultancy and produced the strongly-criticised environmental analysis of Food Harvest 2020.The same agricultural consultancy was recently appointed to conduct a similar analysis of the 2025 Agri-Food Strategy. The question arises: has this latest request for tenders fired the starting gun for a victory parade or a competition?"
Dr. Jackson continued:
"The tender document further undermines the independence of the proposed Expert Advisory Council on climate change. It is this Council which should be independently setting the terms of reference for a sectorally balanced assessment of the national mitigation plan. Instead, the issued tender document practically guarantees that the assessment will be unbalanced and inadequate.We heard today from Minister Coveney that "nobody in the Irish administration ever suggested that agriculture was going to reduce emissions long term." It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the assessment of the national mitigation plan is being set up to reinforce this approach.This is hugely disappointing, as is the inward-looking approach - we can see no evidence here of an attempt to ensure that the assessment will be international or outward-looking. Of course, there is no requirement for a contract to be awarded even though this request for tenders is out. The government should go back to the drawing board on this one - it is simply not good enough."
Coastwatch to host Blue Info Days later this month
Blue Info days encourage ocean literacy and wise use of marine and coastal resources.
That means understanding how the sea ticks, passing on and adapting old sustainable coastal and marine resource practices, learning new methods to measure, monitor and report on the state of the sea as powerful citizen science tools.
The first 'Blue Info Days' weekend in Ireland will take place on 25th and 26th April 2015 in county Wexford and consist of a mix of short talks, demonstrations and hands on trials, lots of fieldwork and fun water events.
'Blue Info Days' is aimed at the general public including families and students who want to enjoy the sea and care for it, as well as those professionally engaged in the sea, monitoring and harvesting marine and coastal resources.
For more information and to register click here
Great Success for Global Action Plan Ireland and their IEN Core Funding Grant
In 2014, the IEN's core funding grant supported Global Action Plan (GAP) Ireland match fund the delivery of its Green Living programme.
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| Participants in Global Action Plan's Green Living Programme in the Phoenix Park Visitor Centre |
As part of an international consortium, Global Action Plan Ireland launched the CELLS initiative (Community Environmental Learning Laboratories for Sustainability) in 2013.
The programme is a three-year initiative part funded by the EU Lifelong Learning programme in collaboration with four other organisations in three countries - Spain, Hungary and Sweden.
The aim of this programme is to improve and accelerate the Eco Team (Green living programme) community learning methodology that was pioneered by Global Action Plan International and which has since been adapted by participating partner organisations in various forms.
The programme is a unique informal adult education initiative that has run in Europe since 1990 and has spread to over 20 countries worldwide. The programme supports householders to reduce their impact on the environment by making simple and lasting changes in the home. The environmental impact of participating households is measured before and after the programme.
It's important that individuals can see the difference they are making by measuring the resources saved as a result of their actions. For example, by turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can potentially save upwards of 12 litres each time you brush your teeth - that's 8,760 litres a year! In 2014, 32 participants on the Green Living Programme took this action, which resulted in savings of 280,320 litres of clean running water!
By supporting groups of people working together, we make taking action easier, more creative and much more fun. GAP's ability to match fund for this programme would not have been possible without the support of the IEN core funding grant.
Native Tree planting takes place across the border counties as part of Peace Forest Ireland project
Native tree planting took place last month in Louth, Monaghan, Cavan and Leitrim as part of a project to plant Peace Forest along the border to Northern Ireland.
Peace Forest Ireland is a project of Forest Friends and the Rotary Club Dublin North. They are working with locals in border areas to help create this forest for the betterment of the environment and the community.
The initiative is to plant a Peace Forest stretching from the Donegal-Derry Londonderry border to the Louth-Armagh border.
Native trees will be carefully selected to suit their particular location. Ultimately the project hopes this will result in a continuous canopy of trees along the border of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Rotary Dublin North and Forest Friends, with communities in border counties, have since the launch, been planting native broad leafed hardwood trees on suitable sites in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Trees can be planted as hedgerows, groves, woodlands, forests as appropriate, with the aim of creating a great cross border forest stretching from Derry to Dundalk. Schools, public agencies, tree groups, environmental organisations, businesses, eco-tourism all have a role to play in what is an inclusive project which aims to strengthen the peace process.
The Peace Forest project in time will help communities to develop joint enterprises in horticulture, woodland development, woodland crafts and management, thereby creating sustainable jobs. Local seed collections, tree nursery developments, workshops, arboretums, intercultural events and seminars fall within the scope of the project as envisaged.
The concept was developed in the Dublin North Rotary Club in 2012. It was kick started on the 26th May 2013 with the first oak tree planted in Saint Columb's Park, Derry Londonderry by Sakugi Tanaka the then President of Rotary International. It seemed fitting to plant an oak tree, after which Derry Londonderry is named, and to celebrate The City as the European City of Culture in 2013. Oak trees for the first planting were sponsored by Van Der Vel Ltd., Aughrim, Co. Wicklow, and Gallinagh Nursery, County Donegal. About Your Garden sponsored fifty Birch and Alder Transplants for the second planting on 1st Februrary 2014.
To find out more click here
