Launch of Stop Climate Chaos

A coalition of Ireland's main development and civil society organisations today launched a campaign to 'Stop Climate Chaos', calling on Government and political parties to ensure that Ireland does its fair share to prevent runaway climate change. The campaign aims to mobilise public support throughout Ireland to drive much-needed political action to meet this critical global challenge.

The coalition*, whose members include Concern, Friends of the Earth, Trócaire, Christian Aid and the National Youth Council of Ireland, has come together with a common vision - a world where human impact on the global climate has been contained to a level that enables social, environmental and economic justice for all.

At today's launch the Stop Climate Chaos campaign set out three key demands for change to the government and opposition parties.

• Ensure Ireland does its fair share to prevent climate chaos by immediately bringing in a climate change law which provides for an annual carbon budget** and 3% year on year reductions in Irish green house gas emissions.
• Push for an international agreement to keep the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius or less. This means that global greenhouse gas emissions must reach their peak and begin to decline irreversibly within 10 years.
• Support developing countries to adapt to the unavoidable effects of climate change.

www.stopclimatechaos.ie, a full information portal, was also launched at the event today. The portal contains valuable information on how the public can call on election candidates for action, information on the coalition and their goals in tackling climate change and how individuals can make changes themselves

"The threat of runaway climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face and so we are seeking to mobilise the Irish Government and the public to take political and personal action in support of these objectives. The coalition of such a wide group of organisations demonstrates the broad base of support among the Irish public to see action on climate change," said Oisin Coghlan, Director of Friends of Earth

Tom Arnold, Chief Executive of Concern Worldwide noted, "Developing countries have contributed least to the crisis of global warming yet it is these countries that will be worst hit. Industrialised countries, on the other hand, bear the historical responsibility for causing climate change and should be to the fore in resolving this challenge."

Justin Kilcullen, Director of Trócaire said, "Climate change is a global justice issue and we have the power to halt it. It is only by mobilising the industrial nations to commit to addressing the issues that we will avoid the devastating impacts on developing nations who will suffer irreparable setback and damage if it reaches critical levels."

Mary Cunningham, Director of the National Youth Council of Ireland, said, "Climate change will impact us all in the future and it is essential for our Government to address these issues to ensure a healthy future for our environment. Young people have identified climate change as a key concern and have actively campaigned on this issue. NYCI is confident that young people and youth organisations will get actively involved in the Stop Climate Chaos campaign."

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Alison Mills Q4 Public Relations Tel: 01 475 1444 Mob: 086 851 2890

Notes to Editors:

* Members of the Stop Climate Chaos Campaign are: ActionAid, Afri, An Taisce, Cap and Share, Christian Aid, Comhlámh, Concern, Cultivate, Eco-Congregation, Eco-Unesco, Feasta, Friends of the Earth, Gorta, Kimmage Development Studies Centre, Methodist Church in Ireland - Council of Social Responsibility, National Youth Council Ireland, Oxfam Ireland, People Against Climate Change, Students Against Climate Change, Trócaire, Voice.

**A carbon budget is a plan for the amount of carbon that can be emitted in a given amount of time, either by the whole economy, or by selected sectors or activities. It is analogous to the financial budget which sets out the planned spending by sector and activity for the year ahead.