As Ireland’s political parties drive ahead with what they call one of the most “ambitious” climate policies in the world, here are 6 things that every rural person should know about how this will impact their lives.
1. Ireland’s climate policy costs rural jobs
It’s no secret that climate policies have a price, and part of that price is a significant negative impact on the rural economy.
For example, Ireland’s oldest NGO, An Taisce, which receives €3.5 million per year in taxpayer funding, has repeatedly objected to the construction of a Glanbia cheese plant in Co. Kilkenny, citing the government’s climate targets as a concern.
According to An Taisce:
“Ireland has made explicit commitments to conform to EU Directives and to the climate targets of the Paris Accord. A factory of the scale proposed which will require a supply of an estimated 450 million litres of milk annually – over 5% of all milk produced in Ireland – would have a material negative impact on the capacity of the dairy sector in Ireland to meet those commitments.”
Glanbia, which has 4,500 farmer suppliers, has been scuppered over and over again by An Taisce, which repeatedly has appealed court rulings granting permission for the plant to be built.
As Independent Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath said: “This plant would create many jobs and support the agri-food sector and the region. An Taisce’s fanatical stance shows no understanding for the common good.”
Additionally, Bord na Mona, in an effort to pursue climate policies, has wound down its harvesting and production of peat products, leading to hundreds of job losses in the midlands, and hurting other native industries such as the horticulture sector, which employs thousands around Ireland.
https://twitter.com/Ben_Scallan/status/1435565527548801027
This is to say nothing of the closure of power stations all over the country.
ESB confirms it will demolish its two ‘pristine’ power plants in the Midlands #gripthttps://t.co/zJdQMgUDVO
— gript (@griptmedia) June 23, 2021
All in all, green policies spell bad news for rural jobs.
2. It will become much harder for people to heat their homes
In an effort to combat climate change, the government has announced a nationwide ban on smoky solid fuel, including types of coal, briquettes and wood. Moreover, carbon tax has been increasing annually and will continue to do so, making home heating oil and similar products significantly more expensive.
Sale of 'most polluting' solid fuels to be banned in Ireland within a year https://t.co/zLQcQjJjQB
— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) September 7, 2021
https://twitter.com/Ben_Scallan/status/1435568513201184774
As a cherry on top, groups like the Single Electricity Market Operator have warned that a shortfall of power that could lead to blackouts is arising because of the retirement of the peat power stations, as well as low wind expected for renewable energy, unexpected outages at two stations, and a delay in maintenance due to government-imposed Covid restrictions.
No Turf: warning of electricity shortage due to closure of peat stations and low wind #gripthttps://t.co/ONUvMfo1Ii
— gript (@griptmedia) September 7, 2021
The Department of the Environment even said that energy blackouts this winter “can never be ruled out.”
— Sliabh Luachra Wind Awareness Group (@SliabhLuachraW1) August 17, 2021
While there were initially plans to prevent this, the government recently announced they would be abandoning the emergency measures, effectively resigning the country to its fate.
The government’s plans to prevent rolling electricity outages from green energy policies this winter have been abandoned, meaning Ireland is very likely facing blackouts this winter.#gripthttps://t.co/VsBfr9CBqN
— gript (@griptmedia) August 17, 2021
3. The government are still opening data centres
Even as rural Ireland is being punished for its contribution to climate change, electricity-guzzling data centres are still popping up all over the country, including one worth €1.2 billion in Ennis, Co. Clare.
Plans to be lodged for €1.2bn Ennis data centre https://t.co/CTL6phIkPq via @IrishTimesBiz
— Irish Times Business (@IrishTimesBiz) July 16, 2021
This planned centre would consume 200 megawatts – the equivalent to 210,000 homes.
There are now 70 operational data centres in Ireland, and Dublin is the largest data centre hub in Europe.
Not only do these put huge strain on the power grid weakened by green policies according to Eirgrid, increasing the likelihood of blackouts, but they run on fossil fuels and contribute hugely to the supposed problem that politicians say they want to stop.
4. It has serious transport implications
Famously, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was mocked mercilessly for suggesting that only 1 in 10 families should have a car.
Eamon Ryan: When I’m in charge, it will be one car per ten families.https://t.co/EAp9vLaXSX
— gript (@griptmedia) October 11, 2019
As bad as this would be in the city, of course it is totally impossible and unworkable in the country, where some people live miles from the nearest shop.
But this plan may soon be a reality if the government get their way. They’re planning to outright ban petrol and diesel cars, along with the internal combustion engine, by 2030.
Ireland Prime Minister brings up in #ClimateSummit they will prohibit sales of petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 – BBC article on it here https://t.co/lpGqK6FXbV. Read of many more economies and cities that have announced such bans in Transport chapter of #exponentialroadmap
— Stefan Henningsson (@shenningsson) September 23, 2019
Even the cheapest hybrid electric cars cost over €26,000, and many mid-range cars come closer to €40,000, which is far more than many people would be willing to spend on a car. While grants exist to help pad the cost, the government has announced that these will be halved, making them even less accessible to ordinary people. It’s not a stretch to imagine that they may eventually be cut altogether.
BEN SCALLAN: The Department of Transport has announced that they will be significantly reducing the grant incentives for electric hybrid vehicles, making a nonsense of their other “green schemes.”#gripthttps://t.co/OiWTd6abCP
— gript (@griptmedia) April 6, 2021
Additionally, the Department has said that this move was partially made because Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) actually give off more emissions than manufacturers let on, and are, in fact, not as good for the environment as previously believed.
The goal of these measures is clear – to “force people out of their cars” and either onto public transport, or, where that’s not viable, like in the country, into overpriced electric vehicles.
'We want to force private motorists out of their cars' https://t.co/gVpZva6goa pic.twitter.com/VWnSGZMouy
— Irish Independent (@Independent_ie) June 18, 2019
The government intends to continually increase the tax on traditional fuels until it becomes so financially burdensome that most people can’t afford to drive their cars, and then after a decade of this just outright ban them altogether.
5. Ireland’s contributions to man-made carbon emissions are 0.1% of the world total
You’ll often hear about how Ireland has one of the highest per capita carbon emissions in the EU. Which may be true.
Ireland has third highest emissions of greenhouse gas in EU https://t.co/Ea9WWIXwG7
— The Irish Times (@IrishTimes) August 26, 2019
But do you know what else is true? Our overall emissions comprise 0.1% of the world total according to the EU Commission.
https://twitter.com/Ben_Scallan/status/1410589950819672067
What this means in real terms is that if the entire island of Ireland ceased to exist tomorrow – no cars, no planes, no trains, no factories or TVs or power stations – the world’s entire global carbon emissions would go down by one tenth of one percent. As in, so little it’s hardly measurable.
If you were in a boat that was taking on water, and you bailed out 0.1% of the water, do you think that would be enough to save you? I think not. There is no way we can meaningfully impact that climate one way or the other.
And yet all of these green policies are done with a goal of halving our emissions by 2030. Which is to say, we need to get to half of 0.1%. It’s ludicrous.
Ireland will more than halve carbon emissions this decade, Taoiseach tells UN climate summit https://t.co/tdCBX7kLE3 💚 #weareGOcharge pic.twitter.com/i0p1pI0U6i
— GO charge (@GOChargeIRL) December 28, 2020
Meanwhile, China contributes more to carbon emissions than every other country in the developed world – combined.
Report: China emissions exceed all developed nations combined – BBC News https://t.co/46fsfefkYr
— Todd H Nadon (@ToddNadon) September 8, 2021
China contributes the same amount of Carbon to the atmosphere as Ireland in 2 days. Still think it’s worth upending our economy for?
6. The opposition supports it
As bad as the government is on all these issues, the opposition are even worse. Sinn Féin and PBP’s biggest objection to the Climate Action Bill was that it wasn’t “ambitious” enough, and that it should have been even more radical.
Opposition slams revised Climate Bill a 'betrayal' of climate movement https://t.co/WUkUVdynlV
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) March 23, 2021
Further action needed to avert climate catastrophe – @mcguigan_philip https://t.co/I0ALktagre pic.twitter.com/8Rm2Fx1tTA
— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) October 5, 2020
Monday’s IPCC report on global climate change shows that we must take decisive, radical action and that we are quickly running out of time.
However, yet again the Government response has been lacklustre to say the least.#ClimateChange #IPCC #SystemChangeNotClimateChange pic.twitter.com/i5Ibsykvf6— People Before Profit (@pb4p) August 13, 2021