ILeland's Green Party came to power in 2020 determined to free Ireland from democracy. late Become a leader in the climate crisis. Public opinion was on our side, and we received over 7% of the national vote. This mission enabled us to negotiate coalition agreements with Ireland's two largest centrist parties. This was recognized by European Green Party colleagues as one of the most environmentally friendly agreements they had ever seen.
Over the past four and a half years, we have worked hard to implement that program. I think most independent experts would say the impact has been transformative. Ireland's emissions last year 6.8% dropDespite being one of Europe's fastest growing economies and experiencing record population growth. The Greens shifted their spending to public transport, cycling and walking. We rolled out a new rural bus service every week while cutting young people's fares by 60%. Number of passengers took off immediately And we are only at the beginning of the transformation. A large pipeline of new projects is delivered through our planning system and ready to go.
In cloudy Ireland, solar panels are installed Every day, 100 roofs are renovated and 1,000 homes are renovated every week. We have introduced a basic income system for artists. Childcare fees will be half price Reduce fertilizer use in agriculture by 30%. Together with our government partners, we stand up for Palestine and support the EU's Restoration Act. loss damage fund At COP27.
Despite all of the above, or perhaps because of it, we lost all but one seat in Parliament in last month's general election. lost both seats in June's European Parliament elections. The Green Party, which was in power in Belgium and Austria, has experienced similar electoral upsets in recent months, and all eyes will be on Germany's general election in February to see if the Green Party can take power. go against the trend.
I am confident that our party can come back even stronger, but what will happen in the face of the leap forward in climate action that we all know still has to be achieved? We need to ask if lessons can be learned.
The first lesson is that bringing about change is easier said than done. All over the world, it is essential to not only set goals, but to achieve them. But it's difficult because what you think might be popular is sometimes seen as an undesirable change. what we saw great new bike lanesThe policy, which allows children to cycle safely to school, was seen by many in the same community as worsening the traffic congestion caused by Ireland's car dependency.
Stopped commercial strip mining of turf The work we do on our precious marshes is being distorted as a disrespect for family traditions rather than an example of how we are improving air quality, protecting our children's futures and the natural world. I did.
Perhaps we underestimated the backlash we would receive from vested interests who want to maintain the status quo. irish ryanair biggest polluterit was in Constant campaign mode In an effort to “eliminate” the Green Party, a gang of keyboard warriors filled every social media post of ours with the meanest comments imaginable. You ignored it then, but the truth is, I think it messed with the public's idea of what we were thinking about.
It also didn't help that the tide of public concern about climate change receded as the coronavirus and wars in Ukraine and Gaza filled our screens. What worries me most of all is that the younger generation is disillusioned and discouraged. 's slogan is school strikersThe words “We are unstoppable, a different world is possible” may still ring a little hollow six years after the campaign’s early days.
But there is one more lesson from Ireland that I think might restore hope. Just as there are dangerous climate breakdown tipping points that we risk crossing, there are also tipping points that give us cause for optimism. of Renewable clean energy revolution It's been spreading in Ireland and other parts of the world over the last five years and I don't think it's going to stop.
Even though climate ranked low in every poll of voters' priorities before the recent election, it now Detailed investigation This shows that the majority of Irish people want to be part of the solution to climate change. Less than 5% of people are called climate change skeptics.
The question will be whether the new Irish Government will continue on the course we have set, or whether it will change course to reflect what the polls appear to be showing about the priorities of the people.
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We are engaged in a de facto war against climate change, and many battles will be won and lost. The important thing is to believe that change is possible and not just give up because you lose on a particular day.
Roderick O'Gorman, my successor as leader and the only Green Party member to continue to hold a Dail seat, said: “We have no regrets.” We had political capital four years ago and we spent it on delivering real climate action that improves people's lives. We need to build that capital again, and we intend to do so, inspired by the knowledge that we can change things, even when the odds seem against us.
We have no future if we simply burn fossil fuels wisely. We have learned a valuable lesson in recent years: There is a better way. The key question is how that level of climate ambition can be sustained politically. I am glad that there is still a voice in the Irish Parliament ready to ask that question every day.
