Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins has said that the Irish State must “lead by example if it is to have any credibility, any realistic hope of bringing its citizens with it on the difficult journey to a decarbonised future”.
In a speech on climate to the Engineers Ireland Conference this morning, the president said that climate change is the “most pressing existential crisis facing us all as a global community” and urged the government to take a lead in addressing the crisis.
President Higgins advocated a new approach to economics in his speech today that would incorporate the “radicalism” of climate action.
He said: “We cannot continue with the mere placing of a green lens on economic policies… policies that have failed manifestly and are continuing to cause damaging ecological impacts.”
He called for a new approach to economics, one that is based on a connection between ecology, economics and society.
Higgins also said this approach should combine “the radicalism that is in the consciousness of climate activism, with the consciousness of egalitarianism and the programmes of inclusion activists”.
It should be “framed around the three implicit goals of welfare states: redistribution, social consumption and social investment and characterised by gender equality, income redistribution, a reconfigured social consumption”.
The State
Higgins emphasised the “huge and potentially very positive” role the State can play in all of these policy decisions, despite policies in recent decades having an adverse effect.
“The State has been so maligned through a constant and consistent attack from the Right, an undermining of its competence and legitimacy, and a disregard or ignorance of its success in wealth creation and improving the broader quality of life of citizens,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it has taken the tragedy of Covid-19 to demonstrate the State’s positive role in managing such crises, of how it can play a transformative role in our lives for the better.
I see the State leading in climate action, setting an example on climate mitigation, resilience and adaptation. The Irish State must lead by example if it is to have any credibility, any realistic hope of bringing its citizens with it on the difficult journey to a decarbonised future.
Government departments and state agencies must be exemplars in climate mitigation given the whole-of-government approach needed to curb our carbon emissions, as well as in climate adaptation given the State’s pivotal role as owners of land and infrastructure which is likely to be impacted by climate change.
President Higgins added that the “longer we wait, the more we intensify and perpetutate the injustice of climate change”.
He also said that inaction runs the risk of “correctly being regarded by future survivors of our planet as having been in collusion with the destruction of the lives and life-worlds of some of the most vulnerable peoples of our human family and the biodiversity on which our planetary life depends”.
“The time to act is now,” he added.
Attenborough’s speech
In similar remarks published today, veteran broadcaster David Attenborough has warned of the climate change threat from Covid-19.
The 94-year-old, who has recently launched his new film A Life On Our Planet, said several international climate conferences, such as COP26, had been cancelled because of Covid-19 and he feared people would have other priorities.
Praising Greta Thunberg, he said: “If there is any sign of hope, and there is to be truthful compared to what there was 25 years ago, it’s because of what you’ve done and what you’ve done for young people.
“Young people around the world are really, really going for it now because of you.
“The world owes you a lot and I hope you are not paying too high a price for it, and it looks from what you are saying that you are managing to survive alright.”
With reporting from PA
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Michael D. regurgitating World Economic Forum rhetoric…quelle surprise
@Kieran Hayes: He’s a dangerous figure because he looks like a cute wee granda :)) but he’s literally a communist and as far as I’m concerned is as historically dangerous an ideology as Nazism. Globalist communists be globalist communists :)
Interesting too how the journalist here isn’t addressing the fact our president should not wade into policy debate. Michael D. Higgins is acting beyond his remit every time he opens his mouth, but it’s fine because our left wing media agrees with everything he says and endorses him along the way. Sure what would the public know, we are just all a bunch of sinners whereas our communist out of touch champagne drinking globalist left wing radical president is definitely the moral compass we need….
@Daragh McSloy: Neither of you two know what communism is or how to recognise it.
@Kieran Hayes: he’s a great man for redistributing other people’s income and savings
@Fergus: Any evidence to back that up?
@Fergus: it’s a sad state of affairs when Irish people throw around the label communist as loosely as the most redneck Americans . He’s no more a communist than Leo is a fascist, but people in comment sections aren’t known for being rational, it’s more fun being overly dramatic
@Daragh McSloy: 100%
@Mark: no, none of his ideologies are comminist. Do you even listen to his speeches.
A president, who’s role is to be apolitical, yet clearly not.
@Kieran Hayes: Higginsisms!!!
@Fergus: Having more praise for Cuba than the US is quite telling.
@Daragh McSloy: Cuba is far more commendable as a society than the USA. Don’t ask the wealthy and the formerly colonial families who were financially put out by the revolution, don’t ask American media, ask the average peasant like you or me.
@Daragh McSloy: did it occur to you that the government may have approved of his speech ?
HIggins kinda has always been difficult to take seriously , hence why he always had Mickey Mouse Ministerial positions (which he left a positive lasting mark on )
Ireland hasn’t and won’t tolerate communism
Save the planet? We can’t even save ourselves from a virus that kills 0.5% The planet will save herself, she’s gonna be grand, we’re gonna be extinct soon.
@Jerry Jeff Gomgat: what would he know,
Champagne socialist.living in his mansion in
Phoenix park.
@Jerry Jeff Gomgat: lies. It ain’t .5. it’s 3.6 and yes I come with a link https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/mortality
@Tom Ripley: I’d say Jerry is way closer. They estimate between 5 and 10 times more had it during the first wave. Your figures are based off confirmed cases which everyone knows are way off. The death figures are also with not from
@Tom Ripley: that’s Case fatality ratio. So that’s people who died from KNOWN cases. That’s not the same as all cases, because many cases do not get picked uo. Go and Google IFR – that’s infection fatality ratio – it’s betwern 0.25 and 0.8 so a median of about 0.5, about 10-15 times deadlier than the flu.
@Bren: I’m talking about actual facts and stats, not conspiracy theories or “do your own research”
@Bren: I can’t post links in here.
These are stats from the WHO :
who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/estimating-mortality-from-covid-19
Put www. In front of it.
@Tom Ripley: the WHO agrees with me, not you.
who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/estimating-mortality-from-covid-19
@Bren: maybe go an lookk at the WHO before you just attack and insult me. I never said I was an expert, I’m quoting actual experts, not right-wing nutjobs. But instead if checking your facts, you decide to insult me. You do not even know me, who do yo think you are?
@Bren: show me where I alleged to be an expert? Come on, quote me, show me where I said I was an expert!!!! Before insult me!!!
@Bren: if I am alleged to be an expert l, then what did Tom Ripley do? Is he not also, according to your standards, alleging to be an expert?? But why is he okay and I am being made out to be a lunatic? Why did you choose to insult, belittle and bully me??
@Bren: I wasn’t even addressing you, yet you think it’s okay to bully, insult and belittle me and call me names?
@Tom Ripley: quoted directly from the WHO :
Calculating IFR
The true severity of a disease can be described by the Infection Fatality Ratio:
Serological testing of a representative random sample of the population to detect evidence of exposure to a pathogen is an important method to estimate the true number of infected individuals [7,8,9]. Many such serological surveys are currently being undertaken worldwide [10], and some have thus far suggested substantial under-ascertainment of cases, with estimates of IFR converging at approximately 0.5 – 1%
@Tom Ripley: thank you for the link dear Tom, now back to where you came from
Easy for this champagne socialist to say from his mansion in the Phoenix Park
@Adam Conroy: Our mansion in the park.
@Adam Conroy: I’m sure Michael will lead by example and move into a one bedroom apartment after his stay in the mansion is over. Maybe sell his massive houses too or better yet give them to one of the families that are living in hotels.
@Adam Conroy: It’s not his mansion it’s ours. The position to which he was elected requires him to be resident there for a few years.
@Matt Rogers: if its ours can we enter it ?
@SquintEastwood: if I’m part owner. I give my consent for homeless families to go stay there tòo
@SquintEastwood: What an asinine comment. Can you just waltz in to oireachtas? How about the museums after closing?
I’m not sure where you are getting this idea that just because it’s state owned, gives you carte blanche to go where you like and do as you please. This is the same for all countries.
@Fergus: that is exactly my point..it is not the people’s property it is state owned..people think they own something because it is state owned but it really isn’t owned by the ordinary people
@SquintEastwood: Ah that’s fair enough apologies for misunderstanding
@Adam Conroy: income redistribution – veering on communist to me – I’m all for making sure every child has the same right to education as any other, and if some of those choose to work harder and get a higher paid job when they complete their education they deserve those additional rewards.
@Gordon Walsh: If only that we’re truly the case. Swap “work harder” with “be more manipulative” and you might be on to something.
If Ireland banned cars in the morning and we all cycled or skip to work, it would have absolutely no noticeable impact on the worlds environment. All the major developing nations will continue to churn out deadly pollutants. The environment is just a nice word our politicians use to justify new taxes.
@Murph11: however this is a limitless supply of energy which we can harness for ourselves and without being reliant on a supply which is subject to all sorts of worldwide events .
Oil and gas will eventually run dry
@Murph11: That’s patently false. Our emissions affect our population locally through our air quality. It may make a insignificant impact on global emissions, but we don’t get other countries on board by refusing to participate either.
Investing in green technologies and energy generation leaves us less beholden to global markets, international instability and reliance on foreign resources. Not to mention we’re failing abysmally on targets we agreed to.
@Murph11: If every car in the world stopped in the morning and everyone skipped cycled and walked to work it would have minimal impact. Biggest polluters in the world outside of natural processes and forest burning is industry followed by shipping followed by airlines but sure that doesn’t suit the narrative so it isn’t true. Stop private jet travel stop holiday cruises and unnecessary importing of goods we have plenty off in Europe such as meat etc and it would seriously put a dent in our carbon emissions
@Murph11: https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions – speaks for itself – we (along with the UK) have improved in the last 10 years but there’s little to no evidence unfortunately that we have influenced other countries to follow suit?
Considering our geographic location, we are years behind on wind and wave energy. Having been lucky to have spent the past 20 years travelling the world through work, it always amazes me just how lacking we are as a nation in self sufficiency. One example is the mouth of the Elbe river in Germany, which has in excess of 5,000 wind turbines between shore and sea. They started nearly 20 years ago. A highly industrious country, but still investing heavily in green energy. It’s no wonder we regularly feature at the bottom of the list when it comes to being green. The Emerald Isle no more.
@P Mc G: Yes but also is operating of the largest open cast coal fields in the world and will be for 20 yrs or so ,,
@Da_Dell: Incorrect. It is nowhere near the worlds largest. Doesn’t even feature in the top 10.
@P Mc G: Do you want to give Peter Sweetman a heart attack?
Our professional objectors would object to anything like that here!
##
Says the Marxist Flag Burner ….
@Mark Halpin: Nothing to say about his proposals. You’re the type that gives commenters and social media a bad name.
@Jointheclubtoo: The fact that he’s a Marxist says enough. We should reject Marxism/communism as much as we reject Nazism. Both are authoritarian and seek to centralize all control of our lives in the hands of a tiny minority at state level.
Any proposals he makes regarding economics, individual liberties and how we should go about our daily lives should be suspect due to his open support for communist/Marxist ideas.
@Daragh McSloy: What are you smoking? UBI and UBS are not communism, nor do they remove private property, capitalism or private enterprise.
You do not know communism or marxism, but repeat dogwhistle red scare nonsense from US right wing groups.
@Fergus: Never did I mention UBI, a policy that has failed in more jurisdictions when trialed than it has succeeded.
I am extremely well read on political and economic systems, thanks. We can disagree without assuming that the other side don’t know what they’re talking about.
I don’t think he’s a 100% communist, but he is definitely hallowing out a pathway that resembles it very closely and he does very little in the way of championing free enterprise, innovation and lowering the tax burden etc. I would rate him as far left, and I’m not using it in the same jingoistic way the Americans use those terms. But in terms of Irish politics, he is still far left.I could be wrong as we have different interpretations. No president of our country should be espousing so many political views
A hypercondriac narcissistic spiritless empty society thinks if can save the planet? Another delusion to keep the masses half scared.
I was at Aras an Uacharain a couple of years ago for a meeting, and stood in his dogs pooh: he could not even clean it up and he talks about saving the planet!!
@Carol Cunningham: specsavers
He’s a communist and is using the ‘green movement’ in order to justify centralizing and nationalizing our industry so the government owns everything.
He’s also our president and from what I remember from law school, he shouldn’t be wading into public policy announcements. He is there to ensure that laws are constitutional, and if he suspects them to not, he doesn’t even get to arbitrate them, he must send the laws to the Supreme Court for review.
He’s a cute wee granda figure with a dangerous, radical agenda and the Irish people won’t take it anymore.
@Daragh McSloy: “communist” .. easy on the hyperbole there lad
@Mark: I mean the Irish left wing commentary class throw around the label ‘Nazi’ at anyone who is left of Marx these days, so I’m okay using that term here mate :)
@Daragh McSloy: just because they’re wrong isn’t a great excuse to be purposely wrong too
@Mark: Not the same thing.
@Daragh McSloy: a false accusation is a false accusation no matter what way you cut it.
@Mark: Our president gave an exclusive interview to an Italian communist newspaper, literally called ‘Il Manifesto’ criticising Irish economic policy (he’s entitled to do so), while in the same interview praising Cuba’s economic policy.
He often uses simple, childish stereotypes like saying things like ‘the peopled economy’, ‘the cloven hoof of national antagonism’). He’s an ex-Labour politico so obviously he will hold left wing views. However even Alan Kelly or Jan O’Sullivan don’t openly praise brutal communist dictatorships. Higgins does.
It’s just unsettling that a supposedly neutral office is being abused by him and our commentary class doesn’t address it because he’s apparently the nation’s poetic grandad.
Empty words without action.
Ireland is a cold wet country responsible for.00001% of global carbon emissions and we are being crucified with carbon taxes
We need to save the planet, quick line our pockets with money! That will do it, carbon tax.
We are near the precipice in relation to the planet wiping us out. We can choose to hold the 100 biggest polluters to account and make them pay for cleaning up the planet. That should be the main goal of every government throughout the world. Individuals can help but we shouldn’t be to blame. Ireland can lead by example by starting this battle against pollution merchants.
Yeah,I think we’re kind of up to our eyes with the whole Covid thing at the moment,eh Mick?.
I forgot about this fella.
Nothing brings out the negativity in people like someone suggesting we don’t kill the planet. The neeeck!
Just wondering…how is all the pollutants and microplastics getting into the oceans? Are there rogue ships dumping massive amounts of waste that we do not know about?
I got lovely Michael Tea Higgins tea cosies from a lovely lady.
They are on http://www.michaelteahiggins.com and free postage. Highly recommend for any fans of the tea cosy
Quote directly from the WHO :
Calculating IFR
The true severity of a disease can be described by the Infection Fatality Ratio:
Serological testing of a representative random sample of the population to detect evidence of exposure to a pathogen is an important method to estimate the true number of infected individuals [7,8,9]. Many such serological surveys are currently being undertaken worldwide [10], and some have thus far suggested substantial under-ascertainment of cases, with estimates of IFR converging at approximately 0.5 – 1%
But yet I am being bullied and belittled? I will not stand for it.
If they incentivised instead of penalised it would work better. Bringing in taxes to change attitudes only goes so far, helping those who cannot afford to make changes goes even further.
Yeah, let’s all throw stones and argue as the world burns around us. Clever that
@Tom Collins: the only way now, unfortunately
have your say