15 November: Global day of action

At GAP, we believe that everyone has to play a part for a cleaner, fairer world.

In our work with schools, communities and businesses, we see people making amazing changes to their lifestyles to reduce their carbon footprint and increase local biodiversity.

But these individual actions can only take us so far.

We need to radically shift the systems we rely on for life; how we power and heat our homes, how we get around our towns and cities, how we put food on the table, and how we value nature. And we need to do this in a way that meets the needs of people who have been marginalised and left-behind: women, the homeless, people in extreme poverty, migrants, and individuals with disabilities. 

And there’s one key thing we can do for a safer world for ourselves and future generations: We need to completely end our reliance on fossil fuels.

There’s a lot of encouraging progress on this front. Renewable energy is also becoming more affordable around the world (though in Ireland the cost still remains relatively high). Technological solutions in solar energy, offshore and onshore wind farms, and energy storage systems are more advanced and efficient than ever. And we have the money; corporate windfall taxes have allowed us to set up the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund, which will be used to invest in public transport, reforestation and energy infrastructure.

But the bad news is that we’re not changing fast enough. We’re behind on our emission reduction targets, which may mean paying eye-watering fines that could be better spent supporting people and communities and developing green infrastructure. 

Part of the reason is that our government continues to subsidise fossil fuels and intends to build new gas pipelines and terminals. Irish-based companies hold tens of billions of euro in fossil fuel investments. And tech companies based here build data centres that use a fifth of all energy consumed in the country, which drives up consumer prices, puts people at risk of energy poverty, and neutralises any progress made on renewable energy. 

What is most important to us? Economic growth and corporate profit? Or people and communities?

Our politicians need to change course, and the only thing they will listen to is a huge group of us.

When politicians are making decisions in the Dáil or representing us at COP 30 in Brazil, our voices demanding climate justice should be ringing in their ears. If they are going to put our health and wellbeing ahead of political expediency, economic growth or corporate profits, we need to tell them loud and clear that this is what we want, need and expect.

This is why GAP is joining the global day of action on November 15th. 

At 1PM in the Garden of Remembrance, we’ll be marching with the Stop Climate Chaos coalition to demand an end to fossil fuels. We’ll be bringing things to make noise, catch the eye and make an impression that our decision-makers can’t ignore. Will you join us?