More than 1,000 demonstrators formed a human hourglass on Sandymount Strand in Dublin today in an attempt to send a message to the Government that time is running out for agreement to be reached on a new treaty on climate change.
The demonstration was organised by Stop Climate Chaos,a coalition of organisations including Oxfam Ireland, Action Aid, Christian Aid, Concern and Trócaire, among others.
The event was the biggest demonstration the coalition has organised since it was established two years ago and it has promised to host bigger events leading up to a summit of world leaders later this year in Copenhagen aimed at finding a deal to replace the Kyoto accord.
The outline of an hourglass was formed by people holding large pieces of blue paper which had been distibuted in the Metro freesheet yesterday morning. Demonstrators on the inside, holding red sheets aloft, ran through the crowd in a represenation of sand running through an hourglass. They held the shape for a few seconds and then the hourglass exploded as protestors scattered in all directions.
"The main aim of today was to put climate change at the top of the government's agenda," said Colin Roche, policy and advocacy coordinator for Oxfam Ireland. "Climate change is a deeper, more serious, more urgent issue than the economic crisis," he added.
Jim Clarken, chief executive of Oxfam Ireland, said climate change was going to have the most devastating effect on people in developing countries and he pointed out that there is evidence those effects are already taking place.
He said that the success of the demonstration, and the fact that it was members of the public taking part instead of just environmental organisations, showed that Irish people were committed to combating climate change and called on the Government to increase its commitment.
"We're just here doing our own little bit. Every little bit helps," Colm Heaney, 38, told The Irish Times.