Young Friends of the Earth and Environmental Pillar’s election debate on the environment sets twitter alight with #GE16Environment
February 18, 2016
In an effort to break the silence on the topics of environment and climate change thus far in the general election campaign, Young Friends of the Earth and The Environmental Pillar hosted a hustings at Wynn’s hotel in Dublin, last night. If achieving trending status on twitter is anything to go by, this was certainly achieved and #GE16Environment finally made it onto the agenda.
#ge16environment is now trending in #Dublin https://t.co/RrBA6lQCsP
— Trendsmap Dublin (@TrendsDublin) February 17, 2016
The parties that were represented at the debate were Fine Gael (Senator Cáit Keane), Sinn Féin (Lynn Boylan MEP), AAA-PBP (Richard Boyd Barrett TD), Green Party (Eamon Ryan), Fianna Fáil (Mary Fitzpatrick) and Labour (Robert Dowds). The event was chaired by Sylvia Thompson of The Irish Times and was attended by well over 100 people.
#ge16environment hustings is running out of space/chairs. Something or other about growth in a finite system…. pic.twitter.com/oP9EfKXF9D
— Simon O'Rafferty (@simonorafferty) February 17, 2016
On the agenda were the issues of fracking, peat burning for electricity, meeting our climate targets, protecting nature and wildlife, agriculture, job creation in the circular economy, and sustainable rural communities.
https://twitter.com/frackfree_eu/status/700034835662897152?lang=en
@BirdWatchIE say biodiversity worth 2BN/yr So no early hedgecutting? Lab null, FG vague, SF yes, PBP yes, GP yes, FF yes. #ge16environment
— Stuart Ballagh (@frack_unhealthy) February 17, 2016
Nevertheless, other topics that would have an impact on environmental protection were brought up, such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would affect EU regulations currently in place to enhance environmental protection.
https://twitter.com/justinbyrne42/status/700034044873064448?lang=en
Discussion of a more sustainable transport sector was called into question given the shortage of funding for cycling infrastructure, and the current dependence of ‘clean’ electric vehicles on fossil fuels.
#GE16Environment How are people encouraged to switch to cycling for short trips if so little funding ? #DublinCycling
— Dublin Cycling Campaign (@dublincycling) February 17, 2016
#GE16Environment Electric cars are not going to solve #congestion & if electricity not clean, there are still #CO2 issues #DublinCycling
— Dublin Cycling Campaign (@dublincycling) February 17, 2016
Throughout the discussion, representatives made proposals of solutions to many issues, such as creating jobs in renewable energy, establishing rainwater harvesting systems in new-builds, and subsidising the retro-fitting of homes, but their commitment to following through on these and the effectiveness of these policies were called into question by members of the audience.
.@labour "There is an economic benefit to moving to green energy" – 13,000 jobs #GE16ENVIRONMENT
— Young FoE Ireland (@YoungFOEIrl) February 17, 2016
@LRBDublin in favour of rainwater harvesting systems for new-build houses But would this be mandatory? #ge16environment @Env_Pillar hustings
— SWAN (@swanireland) February 17, 2016
https://twitter.com/TheWeinbergWay/status/700026722872397824
While the level of action from the next government to protect the environment and act on climate change remains to be seen, the candidates’ engagement with these critical issues and the public’s response may be enough to display that there is a strong desire for change.
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