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Northern Ireland lags behind other regions in reducing carbon emissions, and has yet to pass a local Climate Law. As world leaders gather in Marrakech to progress the commitments of last year’s historic Paris Climate Agreement, Trócaire, Christian Aid and Friends of the Earth are holding a lobby event at Stormont to call on all MLAs to take urgent action on climate change.
At the lobby event at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday 14 November we will push MLAs for much-needed action on three areas:
1. Set strong climate targets in the Programme for Government
2. Develop a local Climate Change Act
3. 100% clean energy within a generation
The Paris Agreement commits to: “holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”.
The Paris Agreement text emphasises the “emissions gap” between the temperature goal and the pledges that countries have made so far. Independent analysis by Climate Action Tracker concludes that current policies put us on track for global warming of 3.6°C while current pledges, if they were all delivered on time, would only limit warming to 2.7°C.
All existing targets and timelines for emission reductions therefore need to be re-evaluated.
When it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Northern Ireland is the lowest performing region in the UK.
In total, the UK has reduced emissions by 36% (between the base year 1990 and 2014).
England and Scotland are the highest performing regions with reduced emissions by 38% and 41%. But Wales and Northern Ireland reduced emissions by only 18% and 17% respectively.
While this year in Northern Ireland we did see a decrease in carbon emissions by 3% on the year prior, the long-term emission reductions trend reveals how much more work we need to do to get serious about climate action to align with the ambition in the Paris Agreement.
We need climate action now to do our fair share to protect the livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable people and communities in the world, many of whom are already feeling the devastating impacts of climate change, through increased droughts and floods which is driving hunger and poverty.
To join us, all you have to do is register to attend the event and send an email asking your MLAs to meet you there.
When: Monday 14th November 2016, 4pm – 7pm
Where: Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont, Belfast
Register to attend event on Eventbrite
For more information on the key asks, you can read our short two-page briefing paper.
If you have any questions about the lobby please contact Mary Friel: [email protected].
Supporters in the Republic of Ireland can join the Stop Climate Chaos lobby event taking place in Dublin on Tuesday, 15 November.
