Climate justice refers to a transformative approach to climate action that focuses on human rights, economic equity, human dignity and care. It goes beyond technological innovation like electric vehicles, wind power and solar panels to focus and prioritise social innovation, human well-being and ecological health rather than corporate profits.
With the new Government set to be voted into power in the Dáil this week, the draft Programme for Government is likely to become official. But once again, Ireland’s unique potential for global leadership on climate justice is ignored by our political leaders. Instead, the programme adopts a business-as-usual, more-of-the-same, non-transformative approach to climate that simply recommits to striving to meet the already legally binding targets (cutting emissions by 51% by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050) without providing any specifics to explain how.
This vague and uninspiring Programme for Government is disappointing, particularly because I see Ireland as uniquely positioned to be a global leader on climate justice policy. The Irish public are deeply concerned about the climate crisis, unlike in the United States where the fossil fuel industry lobby has successfully convinced many that climate change is a hoax.
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