Green Party claims Ross 'doesn't understand' changes needed to tackle climate crisis
The Green Party has hit out at Transport Minister Shane Ross claiming he doesn't understand the massive changes that are needed to tackle the climate crisis.
Responding to the Climate Action Plan, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the Government is continuing to "fudge" any commitments on bringing down carbon use.
The elimination of non-recyclable plastic, a focus on electric cars, and home retrofits are among the 180 actions set out in the government's Climate Action Plan published today.
While he said there had been some good work done and that should be acknowledged, Mr Ryan said there is still a lack of commitment, clarity and urgency from the Government on climate change.
"I think the words 'consideration will be given' is used 67 times in the report, consideration is good but we should start by committing absolute certainty," he said.
Mr Ryan who was a member of the Climate Committee which recently published its own recommendations said: "One of the things that was in our Joint Oireachtas Committee report was committing to going net zero by 2050, the Government are fudging that, they are saying we will agree if Europe agrees, I think we need clarity, we need ambition, we need to set the goals."
I welcome the #ClimateActionPlan but wish it did 3 more things:
— Eamon Ryan (@EamonRyan) June 17, 2019
1 Commit now to net 0 by 2050.
2 Admit current NDP must change.
3 Agree new national land use plan. https://t.co/LAD3NeDwrV
Hitting out at Transport Minister Shane Ross he said the Green Party would like to work with him "if there was anything in transport that was really significant, but there isn't".
"We have 51 motorways and national roads either being built or in planning at the moment, we don't have a single public transport project at the same time," he said.
The problem is that Minster Ross doesn't seem to understand it, doesn't seem to believe in it.
"Transport is the weakest link in this whole plan, there is a lot of good stuff on energy, there are possibilities even if they are caged in very cryptic language around agriculture, forestry and land use, transport is the one where there is least progress," said Mr Ryan adding that the Minister must now change.
