A chara, – According to the latest IPCC Report, climate breakdown is happening faster than predicted and there is now only a narrow chance of avoiding irreversible catastrophic impacts, by keeping greenhouse gas emissions below 1.5.
This can only be achieved by radically reversing fossil-fuel dependence at a global level now and ending it altogether by 2050.
For Ireland to play a meaningful role towards this goal, we need to raise our aspirations exponentially. The technology exists for the production of green hydrogen .
All that is needed is massive investment and a rapid increase in the levels of the renewable energy needed for its production, which might be done by fast-forwarding our off-shore wind-generation capacity. An extremely ambitious energy programme, which the State clearly cannot afford!
But last September the Central Bank reported that Irish people have savings totalling €135 billion.
Why not set up a scheme whereby those savers could invest in a State-owned energy company with returns at savings account levels? What better use to put one’s savings than to fast-track Ireland’s renewable energy capabilities to the point where we could export energy to Europe, while helping to avoid climate catastrophe? If you have money to spare, would you not choose to invest it in increasing the chances of your children inhabiting a planet capable of sustaining life?
With, at best, a mere nine years to avoid irreversible damage from climate change, the challenge is so immense that, I fear, people cannot see it. If we really did, would we not gladly invest our wealth in an ambitious energy project which would, incidentally, afford us energy independence?
In stubborn optimism,
Is mise,
FINOLA Ó SIOCHRÚ,
Cinn Mhara,
Co na Gaillimhe.