Dear John,

I was in touch last week, concerned that Ireland's climate targets could be undermined by agri-business lobbying. The concern I had when I emailed last week has turned into real fear. 

The credibility of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan - and our goal of reducing emissions by 51% by 2030 and living within the agreed carbon budgets - is now really on the line.

We need TDs to hear from constituents who want Ireland’s climate targets to be protected. With so much at stake, I’m urging people to make phone calls - as they’ve a bigger impact than an email on its own. 

Sounds daunting to pick up the phone? Don’t worry - there’s an easy way to do it - you don’t need a detailed knowledge of these issues. In fact you can simply leave a short message - there’s no need for any debating!

Here’s how to call your TDs without stress:

Step 1: Use Friends of the Earth’s e-action to email your TDs before making your calls. That way you can simply say that you’re calling to check if they got your email.

Step 2: Then use this website to find your TDs and their phone numbers. It’s likely that you’ll be put through to your TD’s assistant when you call - or even an answering machine. That makes it easy - you can simply leave a short message to be passed on to your TD!

You don’t need to say much - just say that:

• You’re calling to check if they got your email.

• Action to address the climate crisis is important to you.

• You’re concerned that Agriculture is pushing back against doing its fair share of emission reductions.

• You want every sector to do its fair share of climate action so Ireland can live within its carbon budgets.

There’s a lot at stake at the moment so every phone call will count.

A plan for cutting Ireland’s polluting emissions was due to be brought to Cabinet on Tuesday. It would have set out emission reduction targets for each sector of the economy. But that plan has been delayed because the Minister for Agriculture has failed to agree to adequate targets for the Agricultural sector. He’s been at the receiving end of intense lobbying from agri-business, who have been misconstruing science (as you can see here) in a dangerous attempt to reduce the agricultural sector’s emission reduction target. 

Agriculture has already been given “special consideration” and lower emission reduction targets than other sectors. If its targets are reduced even further it will place a huge burden on other sectors, who will have to pick up the slack. Their targets would become unfair to the point of absurdity, putting Ireland’s entire Climate Action Plan in jeopardy. 

It’s unnerving to see lobbyists that want to dilute and delay climate action really ramping up their efforts. They've been meeting TDs all over the country and getting their messages across in the media very strongly. They’re impact is showing and it’s worrying.

But if hundreds of us call our TDs and stand up for climate action we can have a big impact too. I hope you’ll join me in taking action. There’s too much at stake to stay silent. 

In solidarity,

Oisín

P.S.Don’t forget, Stop Climate Chaos member organisation Friends of the Earth has created this e-action that you can use to email your TD, asking them to take action to protect Ireland’s climate targets and ensure that every sector does its fair share of emission reductions. I recommend using it to email your TD before making your follow up phone calls! The direct link to the e-action is: https://www.foe.ie/act/protect-our-climate-targets/

Stop Climate Chaos is a coalition of civil society organizations campaigning to ensure Ireland does its fair share to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change.