September 13th, 2017 Readers will no doubt be familiar with the oft-quoted statement that ’97 per cent of scientific studies conclude that climate change is real and humans are causing it’. You may have also wondered about the remaining 3 per cent. As some have …
Leading environmental NGOs critical of Juncker’s State of the EU address
September 13th, 2017 Jean-Claude Juncker’s renewed call for Europe to lead the fight against climate change is meaningless without concrete commitment for higher emission cuts, Europe’s leading environmental NGO has said. The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) was responding to comments made by the European Commission …
World Ozone Day set to celebrate success story of the Montreal Protocol
September 13th, 2017 The climate success story of the Montreal Protocol will be celebrated on World Ozone Day this Saturday with the launch of a new UN campaign to celebrate the protection of the ozone layer. This year marks the thirtieth anniversary of the Montreal …
Complaint sent to EU over Ireland’s failure to tackle illegal wild fires
September 13th, 2017 The Irish Wildlife Trust has written to the European Commission about Ireland’s failure to tackle illegal wild fires and protect threatened wildlife in our uplands as required under the Birds and Habitats Directives. In its formal complaint to the Commission, the conservation …
Stories and Conversations for a Healthy and Low-Carbon Galway City
September 12th, 2017 As part of the Convergence Festival 2017, the annual sustainable community festival hosted by Cultivate, two public events are planned for Galway citizens to join in and engage with discussions on how we can act collectively to address the challenges (and opportunities) …
Water supplies to 700,000 consumers not meeting public health standards
September 12th, 2017 Water supplies to over 700,000 consumers require improvements to meet public health standards, a new report from Ireland’s environmental watchdog has revealed. The EPA’s Drinking Water Report 2016, published today, also indicates that Trihalomethanes (THMs), lead, and pesticides continue to be the …
Coastwatch Seeks Volunteers For 30th Annual Coastal Survey
September 11th, 2017 Leading marine NGO Coastwatch are looking for volunteers to get involved in its annual international citizen science campaign, the Coastwatch shore survey. Currently celebrating its 30th year, the survey was first designed and run in Ireland in 1987. It now runs across …
ECJ holds hearing on Poland’s refusal to stop logging in ancient forest
September 11th, 2017 Europe’s leading court today held its first hearing on Poland’s refusal to comply with an interim ban on logging in the protected Białowieża Forest. The European Commission referred Poland to the ECJ in July 2017 for increased logging in the forest, and …
An Taisce and local groups raise concern over plans for aluminium plant in Limerick
September 8th, 2017 Limerick City and County Council would be “playing with fire” by allowing a company to blast for rock close to a storage facility for millions of tonnes of industrial waste, a local campaign group has warned. Aughinish Alumina Limited is seeking planning …
Commuting in Ireland report: long way to go for sustainable transport
September 7th, 2017 New commuting figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) last week contained some good news for the environment, but also demonstrated that much more needs to be done to encourage commuters to make more sustainable transport choices. Using data from Census …
International support for curlew conservation on lodge bog
September 7th, 2017 The Irish Peatland Conservation Council (IPCC) have received international support from Seacology for their efforts to conserve peatland habitat for the breeding Curlew of Lodge Bog. The distinctive ‘cry’ of the Curlew was once a familiar sound echoing around the Irish countryside …
Europe’s highest court to examine legality of CETA’s controversial investment court system
September 7th, 2017 The legality of the controversial Investment Court System (ICS) in the EU-Canada free trade deal is set to be scrutinized by Europe’s highest court following a request from the Belgian government. Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister, Didier Reynders, yesterday officially requested that the European …