Dear John,

The next few weeks are a crucial period for climate action. Big decisions are due to be made both nationally and internationally. A trio of Irish climate policies are due to be finalised or progressed. The global COP27 climate negotiations start next month. Every action that every one of us takes between now and then is important.  

Every type of action is important too - whether you’re up for tweeting your TDs, taking an e-action, engaging your local community or responding to a consultation - we need all hands on deck!

Two webinars next week will help you learn more -  and get active in a way that suits you. 

A webinar next Wednesday, 19th October, starting at 7.30pm, will explore how we can push the Irish Government to show global solidarity and climate leadership at COP27.

One of the most crucial issues - on which a breakthrough is desperately needed at COP27 - is loss and damage.

Sometimes climate impacts are so severe they go beyond what people can adapt to. Think of the current climate-exacerbated drought in the Horn of Africa, heavy rains destroying hectare upon hectare of crops in Rwanda or recent flooding that left one third of Pakistan under water. Climate impacts like this are referred to as loss and damage. 

Big polluters should be paying for the loss and damage they cause - but at the moment they’re not. Climate vulnerable countries and climate justice movements will make a huge effort to change this at COP27. Join Wednesday’s webinar to learn more about this issue - and find out how you can take action to make polluters pay at COP27. 

Will you make polluters pay?

During the webinar we’ll hear the stories of activists and frontline communities who have been leading the campaign to make polluters pay for loss and damage. We’ll look at the challenges they’ve faced and learn how we can stand with them to push the Irish Government to support their efforts.

We’ll also hear from Siobhán Curran of Trócaire, a Stop Climate Chaos member organisation that is witnessing the very real, human impacts of loss and damage in the countries it works in. 

Will you join us on Wednesday?

Wednesday’s webinar, which is being organised by SCC member organisation Friends of the Earth, will also explore efforts to establish a global treaty to phase out fossil fuels.

Friends of the Earth is campaigning to get the Irish Government to endorse this treaty at the COP27 climate talks.

Join the webinar to learn more and find out how you can support this campaign. 

Oil, gas and coal are fuelling the climate crisis but at the moment there is no binding mechanism to limit their production. The Paris Agreement, while important, does not reference fossil fuels once and has failed to constrain production. That’s why a complementary agreement is needed.

Just like fifty years ago, when the world used international treaties to defuse the threats posed by nuclear weapons, today, the world needs a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty to phase out fossil fuels and promote a just transition that leaves no-one behind.

Getting Ireland to support this Treaty would be an important step towards a fossil free world! Join the webinar at 7.30pm next Wednesday, 19th October to learn more. 

There’s another opportunity to have your say on fossil fuel related issues next Monday. Friends of the Earth is hosting a webinar at 7pm on 17th October to explore the issue of energy security - and the Government’s current review of Ireland’s security of supply. The Department of Environment has opened a public consultation on Ireland’s energy security and this webinar will support people who would like to make a submission to the consultation.

Making a submission to the energy security consultation is a good way to have your say on Ireland’s energy system and make sure that climate wrecking fossil fuels, like fracked LNG, are not part of it! The consultation closes on 28th October so Monday’s webinar comes at the perfect time to get you ready to make a submission.

Hoping to see you at one or both webinars next Monday and Wednesday!

In solidarity,

Deirdre

Communications Support

Stop Climate Chaos 

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.