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LAST UPDATE | 1 Nov 2021
US PRESIDENT JOE Biden has stressed that “none of us can escape the worst that’s yet to come if we don’t seize this moment,” as world leaders arrive in Glasgow this week for a major global climate summit.
Climate change is not a “hypothetical threat”, Biden said as he addressed the opening session of the UN climate summit COP26.
“Glasgow must be the kick-off of a decade of ambition and innovation to preserve our shared future,” the US President said.
“Climate change is already ravaging the world. It’s not hypothetical. It’s not a hypothetical threat. It is destroying people’s lives and livelihoods, and doing it every single day.”
He told the conference that his administration would commit to meeting a goal of reducing US admissions by 50% to 52% below 2005 levels by 2030.
He added this would “demonstrate to the world that the US is not only back at the table but will hopefully lead by the power of our example”.
Ireland, building on Paris
In Ireland, the government is set to discuss the revised Climate Action Plan this week.
The release of the plan is expected soon, with a Cabinet sub-committee due to consider it on Wednesday, the Taoiseach confirmed this morning.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin arrived in Glasgow alongside other leaders from around the world to attend COP26.
He met with a number of other leaders including US president Joe Biden, French president Emmanuel Macron and European Council president Charles Michel.
Tomorrow morning, Martin will attend a breakfast reception hosted by Boris Johnson and Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Speaking to reporters at the summit, Martin said the presence of a significant number of world leaders at COP26 is “evidence of a growing momentum” around climate action.
“To build on what was achieved in Paris, but really to create a momentum around action matching rhetoric in the immediate future,” the Taoiseach said.
He said it’s “absolutely imperative” for the future of a sustainable economy to now invest and create opportunities in renewables and retrofitting.
Ireland’s global climate finance will be more than doubled from its current level of €93 million per year to at least €225 million by 2025, he said.
The Cabinet sub-committee will meet on Wednesday and discuss the revised Climate Action Plan. The Taoiseach said he doesn’t want to “pre-empt the outcome” of this meeting which must be held before the plan can be put forward to the full Cabinet.
“It’s quite detailed so we want to make absolutely sure as we go through the detail that it stacks up,” Martin said.
He said the plan will provide “clear indicators to the sectors the steps that we’re talking about” in terms of reducing emissions.
Orla Dwyer / Twitter
Orla Dwyer / Twitter / Twitter
Speaking at the World Leaders Summit Action and Solidarity Event at COP26 this afternoon, the Taoiseach said climate justice must be at the centre of global efforts in climate action.
“Countries and communities struggling to cope already must have our support,” Martin said.
We must have the courage to take action now and collectively to secure a safe and sustainable planet for generations to come. We have a unique opportunity before us to step up our ambition and to turn the tide on climate change.
“That the narrative emerging from this conference will be one of hope, with a focus on solutions and what we can achieve when we work together.”
‘Coal, cars, cash and trees’
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was the first leader on the podium this morning, where he said that if we don’t get serious about climate change, it will be “too late” for future generations.
“We can get real on coal, cars, cash and trees,” he said.
“We have the technology to deactivate that ticking doomsday device. Not all at once, it’s too late for that, but one-by-one and with speed and efficiency.”
Brianna Fruean, an environmental activist for Samoa, a Polynesian island country, asked leaders to remember in their meeting rooms that the documents they draft are “more than just black and white objects”.
“In your words, you wield the weapons that can save us or sell us out,” Fruean said.
“If you’re here today, you know what climate change is doing to us. You don’t need my pain or my tears to know that we’re in a crisis. The real question is whether you have the will to do the right thing [and] to follow it up with long overdue action.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gave countries a stark warning: “Failure is not an option, failure is a death sentence.”
“The science is clear, we know what to do,” Guterres said.
“We need maximum ambition from all countries on all fronts to make Glasgow a success,” he said.
“I urge developed countries and the emerging economies to build coalitions to create the financial and technological conditions to accelerate decarbonisation of the economy.”
Who’s there?
The effectiveness of the summit hinges on the participation of countries from around the world and the attendance or non-attendance of particular leaders can cause a stir.
US President Joe Biden arrived in Scotland today after flying on Air Force One from Rome, where he attended a G20 meeting over the weekend.
China’s President Xi Jinping is absent but is understood to be submitting a written statement.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance was confirmed last month after uncertainty over whether the right-wing politician would make the trip to Glasgow.
However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cancelled his planned attendance, according to the Anadolu state news agency, which did not explain the decision.
Delegates, observers and journalists attending the event faced long queues to access the summit centre this morning, where the first of a two-day “World Leaders Summit” is taking place.
The Taoiseach is due to deliver Ireland’s statement to the summit tomorrow.
Over the next two weeks, countries will try to negotiate new climate commitments alongside a series of events examining specific climate topics.
Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan will lead the Irish delegation next week during the second half of the summit.
Outside the conference, climate activists will be on the streets to demand major action that meets the urgency of the climate crisis, including Sweden’s Greta Thunberg.
But corporations – often criticised for their role in the climate crisis – will also have a presence at the summit. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for instance, will appear alongside the UK’s Prince Charles at an event discussing the environment in North Africa.
New Irish research published by TASC today outlines that on climate change, politicians do not have most of the public’s trust in Ireland.
Asked who to trust on issues of national importance like climate change, 51% of respondents said they would trust scientists, academics or researchers, followed by 43% who said they would trust family and friends.
Only 13% said they would trust in TDs and 12% for local councillors.
With reporting by Orla Dwyer, Zuzia Whelan, AFP and Press Association
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Yep how much more tax can we get out of this while giving no viable alternative to the people. Power company’s put up prices over fuel prices also airtricty put its prices up which uses no fuel. Get people to buy electric cars which they can’t afford but also don’t roll out a national recharge points to charge the cars but wait the national network might not be able to supply enough power for normal demand never mind all the electric cars they want us to buy but can’t afford. Here’s an idea let’s put more tax on fuels.
@Pól Ó Broin: I was very interested in purchasing an EV, had a test drive in one and loved the vehicle, however when I decided to do a bit of research on the availability of charging stations in and around the suburbs of Cork City I decided against, shockingly poor rollout of charging stations in Cork at the moment.
@Leonard Barry: put one in at your home? I have and it’s dead handy. I cannot remember the last time I needed to use any other one.
@Dennis Laffey: Not every home in Ireland has a driveway, I have to depend on off street parking but of course this being Ireland that has not registered yet with those responsible for the roll out of charging stations throughout the country. Speaking to the car salesman at the dealership where I test drove the EV he mentioned that other potential EV customers he dealt with raised the same concerns about the lack of charging stations available at the moment.
@Pól Ó Broin: the peasants are not allowed to eat meat, have their own car, or fly abroad. Get with the program and learn to read between the lines.
@Leonard Barry: yep, of course. I shouldn’t have presumed. I was in the same situation prior to this in fact.
Also what about the slave labour being used and the damage to the environment to dig the cobalt to make the batteries for these cars plus the damage to get rid of the batteries when they are no good anymore
@Pól Ó Broin: what about the cobalt that’s used in the processing of crude oil to produce petrol and diesel? At least the use of cobalt in electric car batteries is once off during production of the batteries and old batteries can be repurposed. The cobalt used in oil processing isn’t recycled or repurposed.
@Emer Galvin: while you have a valid point the mining of cobalt has now increased 100s fold because of electric cars and they can’t keep up thats why there is a shortage. So the idea is stop mining and using fossil fuels to save the planet but increase the mining on cobalt and get more slave labour in to try meet the demand. With all the great minds out there I’m sure there is other solutions. But wait there might not be enough profit in it so the big oil and coal company’s spend billions to make sure governments don’t push other greener agendas and look at other alternatives
@Pól Ó Broin: slave labour happens in any poorly regulated industry and is not isolated to Cobalt mining. Of course this should be addressed but it should not be the cause for us to continue on using fossil fuels!
@Pól Ó Broin: just watch unreported world on channel 4 last Friday and see the damage cobalt mining is doing.
@Pól Ó Broin: Cobalt was an important component of EV batteries 10 years ago but the amount needed is steadily decreasing and Tesla are designing an EV at the moment without any cobalt. So I only partially accept your point, it’s outdated, still valid but not for long. As for getting rid of batteries, an EV battery isn’t useless after it’s EV use and still can be reused for smaller appliances
Exorbitant taxes will make no difference to people’s use of motor vehicles, you can buy petrol and diesel in the States for a fraction of the cost here, they sell it to many millions more then we do while still producing coal by the tons to heat their homes, this Government want us to show example to other countries as to the right way to do things, I’m all for that but it’s so unfair to use the scare tactic on people to run electric cars, retrofit their houses and fit heat pumps etc etc. Straight question how much can a paye worker earn in this country before he or she is exempt from applying for a state grant for any of the above improvements mentioned that cost a lot more money the the avg take home pay.
@Mick Andrews: grants don’t make me laugh people would still need to have 80 to 90 % if the cost
@Mick Andrews: those heat pumps are only useful if the house is completely insulated an still expect to wear a jumper
@Gerard Heery: recently viewed my unfinished new build house on a rainy day. And if it’s anything to go by then I certainly won’t be needing a jumper when it’s fully finished
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If one were to choose a speaker to all the nations of the world about a topic so critical to the very survival of life on Earth, it would not be one who has proven difficulty with the truth, very personal agendas and the trust of so few. It is very difficult to hear the current UK prime minister’s uttering of such messaging and believe that he is the best speaker for all of us.
@John Coburn: very true. Boris and the truth and not good bedfellows. He has ridden everybandwagon available to get himself into power and we are to believe him now?
People have invested in renewables and retro fitting, PV e g. Still no payback for excess electricity generated. Why???? Supposed to be law last year and them by July 1st 21. Still not signed into law? Are ESBN and Eirgrid in cahoots? Are unions delaying it? It’s it the providers lobbying against it?
@Go On: Hi I asked the same question direct to Eamon Ryan still waiting for a reply My guess Eirgrid and the suppliers plus Unions do not want a feed in tariff and if we ever get feed in it will be sub the wholesale rate maybe 4 or 5 pence a unit ,,, The only reason we have a grant at all for PV or SEAI is not about carbon its about paying fines to the EU The only interest FFG have in Carbon or Global warming is How much extra TAX we can grap from people and those with PV pay a carbon Tax to these hooks while feeding EIRGRID free power
@Go On: and in the end they will try switch you onto a more expensive tariff to allow you to get any money back for paym3nt for feeding in power.
They all care soooo much about the environment they traveled to be there in person…I assume he swam over to avoid adding to his carbon footprint.
His statement would have carried a lot more weight if he hadn’t turned up in an 85 vehicle motorcade in high guzzling engines, you can only laugh, preaching to the little people about climate change after flying around the world, was in Rome a few days ago, needing 85 vehicles to move around, not an electric car in sight and him and all the other world leaders no requirement for a vaccine or vaccine passports like the rest of us, do as I say not as I do over and over, please wake up people to how you are being cohersed, ruled, patronised, talked down to and manipulated
David Attenborough summed it up in his speech.
“The ones who have done the least to cause the problem are being the hardest hit”
It’s gas when ye look at a globe … and see how tiny our country is …. In comparison to the likes of China & USA … But yet, we’re gonna get absolutely hammered with more taxes & demands from our government, as if our tiny country is gonna make a significant difference …
@Wessss: Just heard on the news that India have committed to carbon neutrality by 2070.
@Wessss: no, we make commensurate efforts. If every country has the same attitude, future generations are screwed. Ireland is a comparatively rich country and per capita we contribute more than our fair share to climate change
I believe that the earth, a living organism, goes through cycles, just like any other living organism. Humans are not helping the situation but the majority of the cost of ‘cleaning’ the earth will be paid for by the not so well off countries and people. Let the rich and super rich lead the way.
@Patricia MC Namara: China for example?
@Merlin Lancelot: not necessarily. USA and Europe enjoyed a decent standard of living, while the Chinese lived miserable lives. We in Ireland also led ‘poor standard of living’ but most of us had enough to eat. All countries must make an effort but ask China let us not dictate what they must do….
I feel sorry for the people that believe the aspirational political doublespeak and rhetoric that comes from politicians at these summits.
Politicians speaking about climate change or carbon emissions should have to wear and display corporate sponsorship, in the same way as motor racing drivers do.
It’s much more revealing to look at what the any past commitments have resulted in on these issues, rather than the can kicking soundbites which are meant to delfate and negate the legitimate arguments and campaigns, which challenge the financial interests of their corporate sponsors.
They operate on a simple formula, issue a meaningful soundbite to placate the masses, over a long enough timeframe so they think its being addressed, but they also dont expect to see results any time soon..
@David Van-Standen: if Biden came out and said hes going to end economic growth, that would be worth hearing.
This is the kind of thing Michael Martin became Taoiseach for. Goin to an event with world leaders, everyone gets a turn to do their rousing speech including him, no one gets to ask him tough questions, no one asks him to back up what he’s saying, it’s just a risk free game of playing world politics.
Will make absolutely no difference to the planet just will make a difference to what the green echo warriors want Ireland to be … and most of them are well off snobs who live in big houses a stones throw from work
I did chuckle at Wolf Blitzer tweet of reporting on Cop26 from Edinburgh
@Richard Cronin: Best part about it was not the 85 cars that Biden brought with him not to mention AF1 it was the 25 electric cars purchase for the use of those attending COP however they had not got enough charging points so they had to employ Deisel generators
COP coming to Glasgow. Leaders staying at Gleneagles Hotel & 20Tesla cars (£100K each) bought to ferry them 75km back & forth. Gleneagles has 1 Tesla charging station, so Malcolm Plant Hire contracted to supply Diesel Generators to recharge Tesla’s overnight. Couldn’t make it up.
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@liam: Liam that’s comical. Just wondering where you got the info. Would love to highlight that in one of the daily’s
Who told him to say that? Can he explain without a teleprompter?
Sure what about the what abouts?
It was nice of Martin to pose.
Carbon neutrality is a farce because of one simple fact the rest of the world and the cronies that run it will manipulate the figures in their own favor
How about the carbon taxes are actually taxed at source directly from the oil and fossil fuel companies instead of making the average human pay for something that wasn’t removed by them in the first place
Also positive feedback loops are already in motion due to the loss of sea ice the same with removal of forests the carbon isn’t gone it just has nowhere else to go but in the atmosphere and the biggest one of all is the stress on the crops and other food sources is already showing immensely at this point
The truth of it all is the average Joe will not have a massive impact until governments and fossil fuel companies are held to acount
Did he make this speech before or after he took his nap today in the middle of the summit, lol, please let this man retire and go away and relax and enjoy the rest of his year’s out of the limelight, it’s embarrassing all round at this stage
Breaking News: Boris’s Johnson assaulted by Biden
I assume the Taoiseach took the ferry and didn’t fly to Scotland.. To a climate conference..
Why controlling the world population is not option? Clear the natural resource can not keep up? EV
I’m hoping COP27 is in Dublin and they use the slogan “COP27, COP onto yourself”
have your say