‘We want greenwashing to finally stop’: Climate activists protest outside Dáil

Climate change activists blocked Molesworth Street in the centre of Dublin for a time on Friday and staged a protest outside the gates of Dáil Éireann.

Some 150 protesters accused the Irish Government of hypocrisy and of doing little to change the fact that Ireland has the second highest emissions per person in the European Union.

The protest was organised by four groups – Extinction Rebellion, Animal Rebellion, Fridays for Future and a group of students from Trinity College Dublin (TCD) – to coincide with Cop27, which is taking place in Egypt.

Many carried posters of clocks symbolising that the world is running out of time to deal with climate change.

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Among those taking part in the protest were secondary school students who have been protesting outside the Dáil every Friday for months.

Flossie Donnelly (15), who attends St Andrew’s College in Booterstown, Co Dublin, said she has attended 210 Fridays for Future demonstrations in a row, stretching back to when she was 11. She said many climate activists are frustrated at the lack of progress at successive Cop summits.

“We want greenwashing to finally stop. Last year in Cop26 we had so many promises made and none of them have come through. Cop27 is just a greenwashing event and it is so disappointing.”

Nathan Hutchinson (20), an environmental sciences student at TCD, drew a large cheer when he announced that the Supreme Court had ruled the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the European Union and Canada is unconstitutional. He said he was wrong to assume that the Supreme Court would rule against the case brought by Green Party TD Patrick Costello.

“It is a significant win and it shows what can be achieved when people work together.”

TCD associate professor at the school of psychology, Dr Clare Kelly, said the world is facing a “unique, historical moment”, a last chance to deal with climate change before it is too late.

She said Taoiseach Micheál Martin “talked the talk” at Cop27, but there is “no evidence” that he will walk the walk in bringing down Irish emissions. “Can you explain how being the second highest emitter of greenhouse gasses is consistent with doing everything in our power to ensure a sustainable planet.”

Ireland had also failed to submit a long-term strategy on climate action to the European Commission and sectoral emissions targets are not consistent with our own climate change legislation, she said.

Extinction Rebellion’s Manuel Salazar said climate change activists in Ireland have avoided the kind of direct action such as climbing motorway gantries and throwing food at well-known paintings, as had been done in the UK and Germany, but that will change.

“We in Extinction Rebellion are going to resume civil disobedience next year. There is going to be disruption for sure. It is not going to be business as usual.”