IRELAND’S new Climate Change Minister has responded to an Irish schoolgirl’s passionate plea to curb global warming.
Clara, a 4th class pupil from Clonbonniffe National School in Co. Roscommon wrote about her fears over the fate of polar bears, penguins and puffins among others, if the planet continues to get warmer, in a letter to her local Denis Naughten TD.
In the letter, the articulate 10-year-old urges Mr Naughten to ensure Ireland sticks to its pledge in the 2015 Paris Agreement to reduce carbon by at least 80 per cent by 2050.
Ireland currently has an almost 90 per cent dependence on fossil fuels.
Minister Naughten, who was unexpectedly appointed as Minister for Climate Change last week, following weeks of negotiations over the formation of a new Government, responded to Clara’s girls’ letter, saying he agreed that Ireland needed to take “real action’’ on reducing C02 emissions.
Mr Naughton also said he believed that reducing green house gasses and investing in renewables would boost the economy, saving “mammies & daddies money”.
Read the reply letter from Minister of Climate Change here...
The Independent Roscommon TD responded by saying: “It is important that when the new law is passed by the Dáil, that Ireland has real goals and takes real action to reach these goals to reduce CO2 emissions.
While there are fears that if Ireland moves to a low carbon Country that it will be bad for jobs and farming, I believe that if there are proper rules put in place that we will have more jobs.
For example, instead to importing €300m worth of fossil fuels each year, Ireland should be assisting local farmers to grow energy crops, like willow, to run our local power stations in Lanesboro, Co. Longford & Shannonbridge, Co. Offaly.
We can and must do far more to reduce carbon emissions when it comes to our cars and homes, because it will save us all money.
This is not only good for jobs and the environment but because we import 90% of all our energy needs, it means that Ireland will be able to keep our electricity turned on if Russia stops sending us its gas.
So I want to say that I agree with your campaign not only because it will save the lives of animals & protect our environment but because it will save your mammies & daddies money and bring more jobs to County Roscommon.
Keep up the good work!
Denis Naughten TD
