It’s increasingly hard not to conclude that those airy-fairy notions like ‘consultation’ and ‘democracy’ only apply when they apply in the right – that is, State-desired – direction, and that coercion is the language the State prefers to speak when it doesn’t hear or see a compliant public. The evidence for this is on the streets of Coolock, the pages of climate reports, and even in the line for communion at Church.
Reading the summary of the latest iteration of the Climate ‘Conversations’ report was a reminder of the top-down democracy we’ve been enjoying in Ireland in recent years, littered with commentary as it was about how ‘change’ and ‘transformation’ are required of ‘citizens’ in order to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Perhaps more relevant because it stands right before us is the requirement to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 51% by 2030, something we’re nowhere near achieving.
This article is premium content
Get unlimited access to Gript
Support Gript and get exclusive content, full archives and an ad-free experience
Subscribe
Already a member? Sign in here