A few years ago, amid much concern locally, North Monaghan was identified as part of a border area where fracking (hydraulic fracturing for shale gas) was planned.  Last month, Richard Boyd Barrett TD introduced a Bill to the Dáil which, if passed, would completely ban fracking in the Republic of Ireland. This week Transition Monaghan member Dearbhla Lenehan examines the fracking issue.

Dearbhla Lenehan

Richard Boyd Barrett’s ‘Prohibition of Hydraulic Fracturing Bill 2015’ to the Dáil was co-drafted by An Taisce’s Assumpta O’Broin and Friends of the Earth‘s Kate Ruddock. It prohibits any undertaking, permit or license to explore, prospect or extract shale gas using fracking or any other method in Ireland.  Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a method to extract gas from shale rock by drilling and injecting fluids composed of water, sand and chemicals at a high pressure to fracture the shale rock and release natural gas.

Unfortunately, in the U.S. where this technique is used regularly to extract gas, there have been cases where chemicals and contaminants have leaked into the ground water supply, affecting the local drinking water and the surrounding environment.  In some areas mild earthquakes have been attributed to fracking activity.   In addition to local effects, environmental groups point the use of fracked gas or oil contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

In 2011 there was controversy surrounding the granting of gas exploration licenses to Tamboran Resources and Enegi Oil Plc to search for commercial gas in the Northwest Carboniferous Basin (also known as the Lough Allen Basin) and the Clare Basin.  The Lough Allen basin covers and area of 800 square kilometers and includes parts of Monaghan, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Tyrone and Roscommon.  The Clare Basin encompasses parts of Clare, Cork, Limerick and Kerry.  In Northern Ireland after some initial exploration work by fracking companies the Minister for the Environment, Mark H Durkan announced a plan to ban fracking last year.

Proposed Fracking Regions (source –frackingfreeireland.org)

At present the Irish Government has agreed not to issue further licences until an EPA-led research study on the ‘Environmental Impacts of Unconventional Gas Exploration and Extraction’ is completed and considered.  This study is due for publication in late 2016. Good Energies Alliance Ireland (GEAI) along with other anti-fracking campaigners initiated a ‘stop the study’ campaign in September 2015.  This ultimately led to the drafting of the bill Richard Boyd Barrett presented to the Dáil in December 2015.  GEAI say the current EPA study is discredited and should be stopped as the Oireachtas has been misled about who is undertaking the study.  They were led to believe that Queen’s University Belfast was conducting an independent study; however, they have played no part in the research since October 2014.  GEAI claims that the majority of the research is being carried out by a group led by CDM Smith, a US pro-fracking consultancy that provides services to the oil and gas industry and Amec Foster Wheeler – an oil/gas industry consultant whose clients include BP, Shell and ExxonMobil to name a few. As a result the anti-fracking group says that this study is not independent as intended and should be stopped immediately.  They state that the research “is not looking at whether fracking should be permitted; instead it is looking at how fracking can be rolled out” and “the Irish taxpayer is giving a subsidy of €1.5 million to the oil and gas industry for this study.”

TD Richard Boyd Barrett believes there is no need for an EPA report “to tell us that if we bring up shale gas through hydraulic fracturing, we will add to fossil fuel use and will increase carbon emissions.”  He called on the government to “take bold action to prevent further climate change and reduce fossil fuel by banning fracking”.  He also pointed to the Government’s recent commitment in a White Paper on energy to cut emissions by up to 95% by 2050 and to achieve this, two-thirds of the world’s known oil and gas reserves must stay in the ground. The Green Party has also indicated its opposition to fracking in Ireland.

The recent drop in oil and gas prices is likely to mean that the drive to develop fracking may be delayed by the oil and gas companies. In order to move to decarbonising our economies it does not make sense for us to drill for shale gas. The Minister for Energy, Mr Alex White TD recently wrote; “I find it hard to envisage a policy decision to introduce fracking, given that we are going for a low-carbon energy system in which oil and gas are gradually curtailed and, in the longer term, eliminated”. While this may well be the view of the Minister, the upcoming election may mean that there will be a new Minister for Energy and also that progress of the Bill to prevent fracking may not progress through the Dáil. Nevertheless, it reminds the Government that many environmental groups, communities and politicians do not want fracking.

For more information on the campaign against fracking in Ireland check the following websites: http://www.frackingfreeireland.org;  http://www.goodenergiesalliance.com;  http://www.loveleitrim.org;  www.notforshale.com.

January and February events can be found here and here

Monaghan’s Dermot McNally was interested in discovering people who have found interesting ways of living more simply and sustainably. He writes about his visit last autumn to the inspirational Bealtaine Cottage in Co Roscommon where he met Colette O’Neill. Colette left the city behind to embrace the ‘good life’ in rural Ireland.

Colette O’Neill’s Bealtaine Cottage in Co Roscommon

Colette O’Neill, a sixty something Omagh native, is the friendly and informative owner of Bealtaine Cottage, located just outside Keadue in North Roscommon. In 2004 Colette was tired of the pace of London life and took the brave decision to move back to Ireland to pursue the ‘Good Life’ – to live as she puts it, as “lightly and sustainably” as possible. In doing so Colette set herself an immense challenge; to take a derelict cottage on a north facing slope of three acres of wet, rushy land and create (without the help of friends or any family nearby) a self-sustaining smallholding designed and constructed on permaculture principles. Having had my curiosity aroused after I stumbled across her informative website, I visited Colette in early October to see firsthand what she had created.

Colette is a gracious host, offering tea and homemade flap jacks on arrival to her cosy cottage. She explained her philosophy for living in simple terms and she was soon pointing out many of the simple but clever ways she lives lightly; for instance she uses a ‘compost toilet’ within her home; all toilet waste simply falls down into a bed of shredded Red Cedar leaves and the toilet user sprinkles an additional handful down after each visit. Normal toilet paper is used and the toilet bucket, which is housed within a very dainty looking wooden frame, topped with normal toilet seat, is emptied regularly. The sweet scent of red cedar smothers all smells or odours. This waste is disposed of outside into large domestic bins lined with a thick bed of red cedar mulch and over the course of 12 months composts nicely into a mulch for weed suppression and young saplings.

Bealtaine Cottage is a treasure trove of re-loved items of furniture and homeware. For instance, floors are covered in a vibrant mosaic; the tiles are the offcuts destined for the bin that her friendly local tile fitter gives her. A further note to all home enthusiasts out there – Colette fits the tile herself and is a great advocate of learning by doing! Her home is heated through a wooden stove with back boiler and Colette gets all her fuel from her trees so no purchase of oil or coal. She also embraces all and any practical technology; she’s a dab hand at e-commerce and sells seeds and other farm produce online.

Now, to say the land was initially wet and rushy may sound like an exaggeration but the before and after pictures on her website prove otherwise. Equally, when I visited and stood within her site looking out into the adjoining fields, the difference couldn’t have been more apparent. The adjoining fields were wet, barren and rushy – growth in hedgerows was stunted and there was a muted silence hanging over the land with little sign of life. In comparison, her 3 acres were an oasis of lush green growth and thriving with the sounds of birds, bees and all the insects you’d associate with a rich flowering garden. Bealtaine is the quintessential ‘forest garden’ with a host of edible and useful plants and trees.

If tidy, pristine gardens are your ‘thing’, then a ‘forest garden’ may not be for you – Colette uses the chop and drop method to keep her garden in shape. Pathways through the forested area, which were maintained in the early years using a traditional lawnmower, are now bedded in a thick mound of moss and humus from the fallen leaves above. Within the confines of the 3 acres she excavated two ponds, the first to act as a repository for silt and light earth which moves down from the hills behind her home, and the second to receive the run-off water from the first; drains which follow the contours of the land are used to channel the flow of the water. The first pond is boggy and reedy, the second is clear and wide and each facilitates different but complimentary biodiversity.

Her immense labour of love has included planting over 1,000 deciduous trees including two large orchards, as well as many perennials and bushes. As part of the improvements she added a 20ft polytunnel which allows her to extend the growing season. She also tries to minimise labour input where possible and she follows the ‘no-dig’ method of growing vegetables and planting where possible. In a nutshell this involves covering an area for six to twelve months to kill down all weeds and then plants directly on top with no digging – the planted area is then covered with some of the compost from her cold compost piles.

Colette clearly enjoys the work involved and maintains that it’s a path that anyone can follow, if they truly want a simple, wholesome life spent in large parts outdoors. To conclude then, a visit to her wonderful website is mandatory and a visit to the meet Colette in person is highly recommended. See: http://www.bealtainecottage.com

Click here and here for a list of events on in January and February

The past month has seen extreme weather events here and in many parts of the world. Liam Murtagh explores the issues of flooding, extreme weather events and climate change. He also looks at the significance of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) which came into effect on New Year’s Day.

Oram to Castleblayney road – one of the many roads closed during recent flooding

The wettest December on record and a series of five storms so far this winter has left many people in Ireland reeling from the impact. Flooded houses, businesses and farmland have caused many people stress, inconvenience and financial loss. Many others have been marooned in their homes, with travelling out by car not an option.

Bad planning decisions and inappropriate land use have in many cases made the problems worse. Extreme weather events are linked to climate change and it is obvious now that there needs to be a rethink in terms of where houses and business premises are built in future and the capacity of existing infrastructure to cope with floods on the scale we are likely to experience.

Just a few weeks ago the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released their latest report on the impact of climate change on Ireland. It outlined how ‘heavy rainfall events are projected to increase during winter and autumn’ and how the frequency of storms will decrease but their intensity will increase. Shortly afterwards the Environmental Pillar (NGO) called on the government to bring in substantive land use changes to protect communities from increasingly frequent high rainfall events. They highlighted the need to restore wetlands, bogs, native woodlands and hedgerows as they can play a hugely important role in both preventing flooding and dealing with climate change. Dredging a long stretch of a river may alleviate flooding on that stretch but can often lead to flooding further downstream.

The Government’s CFRAM (Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management) process which has been underway for the past few years is running a year behind schedule and is coming too late for those affected by floods this winter. While CFRAM flood risk assessments have now been undertaken and flood maps drawn up for high risk areas, the actual draft Flood Risk Management Plans won’t go out to consultation until later this year. Implementation will follow. In Co Monaghan a set of flood maps for four ‘Areas for Further Assessment (AFAs)’ have been drawn up. The four areas are Monaghan Town, Carrickmacross, Ballybay and Inniskeen. See http://www.cfram.ie for details.

Extreme Weather Globally in 2015

The ‘El Niño’ warm ocean effect from the Pacific combined with climate change has led to extreme weather events globally in 2015. Severe floods hit many parts of South America while typhoons in the US and the Philippines resulted in much destruction, with dozens killed and many being made homeless. There has been an unprecedented ‘heat wave’ in the Arctic at the end of December causing temperatures in the North Pole to spike above freezing point. Climate change is already driving profound shifts in the Arctic ecosystem. Extreme heat waves in Pakistan and the Middle East killed thousands. A drought currently being experienced in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa means that millions are in need of emergency food aid. One of the effects of climate change is that it is partly the cause in the increase in refugee numbers arriving in Europe from Africa and the Middle East.

For the first time in recorded history, global levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere averaged more than 400 parts per million (ppm) for an entire month in 2015. Scientists have warned that, in order to achieve safe levels, CO2 must be brought down to a maximum of 350ppm. Whether the Paris Climate Deal agrees in Decemember will keep warming to below 1.5C or even below 2C remains to be seen. It all depends of the implementation of the substantial reductions in emissions that are necessary. Everyone has a role to play – from large companies to us as individuals. This means reducing the production / use of fossil fuels and also reducing emissions of methane from livestock. Although Ireland is a small country, our emissions per person are among the highest in the world and we are likely to miss by 6% the EU 2020 targets of a 20% reduction in emissions as compared to 2005. We have a big challenge ahead.

Significance of Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) agreed at the United Nations in September last, cover a wide range of areas and address the many causes of poverty, injustice and damage to our planet. The significance of the agreement on Goals is immense even though it was underreported in the media. Never before have the world’s countries come together to agree such a comprehensive agenda. Irish officials at the UN helped to ensure their passing and now they have just come into ‘effect’ – on New Year’s Day. The Global Goals apply to both developed and developing countries, and are as relevant to Ireland as to any other country. The Goals are backed up by 169 targets – the graphic below shows the main areas that the Goals address.

One key Goal is that of ending global poverty by 2030. Many people might think this is over ambitious or even unrealistic. Unfortunately Ireland’s aid to the Developing World in 2015 has fallen to 0.4% of GDP. The target set back 14 years ago was 0.7% of GDP but it was never reached. This situation does not help in ensuring that resources are in place to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

One of Ireland’s strengths is its number of Development Aid workers and volunteers spread throughout the world. Many of them work in difficult conditions and their great contribution in empowering communities is to be commended. Development education has a key role to play and in this regard the ‘Insight Programme’ of Drogheda based NGO Deveopment Perspectives will be arranging for 42 people to go to Tanzania for 3 weeks later this year. Places are currently available. See http://www.developmentperspectives.ie.

Transition Monaghan plan to run a number of events in 2016 relating to sustainability. If you would like to join in the planning of these events and initiatives please email us at transitionmonaghan@gmail.com.

January events guide can be found here

Jennifer McAree, an Environmental Scientist and member of Transition Monaghan says we can have a happy Christmas and at the same time reduce the vast amount of waste that we generate at this time of year.

Jennifer McAree –

loves Christmas but hates waste

Christmas 2015 is here and most of us have already stocked up on food and gifts for the season of merriment and indulgence. And what a build-up it’s been – Christmas begins in August in the retail world these days. There was no escaping the temptation, even if we all knew it was too soon.

According to a recent study, the Irish are the biggest spenders in Europe per capita at Christmas, splurging on average over €550 per person on gifts alone. The average budget of EU countries is approximately €250. Should we pat ourselves on the back for being generous or stand back and wonder at the extravagance? How much do we actually need? And is this pressure to spend coming from ubiquitous media advertising and recent American blow-in trends like ‘Black Friday’?

Growth is viewed by many as a good thing but when our economy tilts on how much people spend on ‘things’, it can be easy to get caught up in buying more. Many of the items we covet and buy require large amounts of resources and energy before they reach our stores. Food has been grown, watered, packaged and transported, sometimes thousands of miles. Products have been derived from natural or chemical sources, often made by labourers in a foreign land and shipped or flown in to fill floor space.

Nobody likes a Scrooge, but it’s healthy to question our actions and motives sometimes. We’re bombarded with so many tempting images and displays in the lead up to the big day that it can be difficult to view Christmas as anything other than a pleasure-seeking fest. After the holidays are over and we return to everyday life, what is it we really cherish? The swanky new iPhone and gimmicky gift sets or the memorable meet-ups with friends and family after months of separation?

A fantastic recent two-part series on BBC One highlighted our current consumer patterns called ‘Hugh’s War on Waste’, featuring celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall. Britain wastes more food than any other European country, but Ireland is not far behind in per capita terms – and we share many of the same large supermarket chains. For example the Irish dispose of one million tonnes of food annually (i.e. 22 million wheelie bins). One third of this comes from households alone, with the average home wasting €700 worth of food each year.

Hugh challenged residents in an ordinary English neighbourhood to waste less and recycle more efficiently over several weeks. It encouraged a sea change in their behaviour and attitudes. He also demonstrated how many clothes we buy and discard in the contemporary world of fast fashion, revealing that it takes a shocking 10 minutes for people to dispose of seven tonnes of clothes (i.e. 10,000 garments) in Britain.

Sometimes it can seem pointless to make positive changes to our shopping and waste behaviour when we believe many others can’t be bothered. But where does all this ‘stuff’ go once we’re finished with it? Out of sight is out of mind – but not out of our environment. Thus our landfills are reaching full capacity despite impressive recycling figures.

It’s never too late to begin doing things differently. The New Year is a chance for everyone to begin afresh and approach our everyday buying and binning behaviour in a better way. For now, below are a few tips to get you started. (Suggestions inspired by ‘Eco Congregation Ireland’. For a full list see http://www.ecocongregationireland.com):

• Buy organic, locally-produced food where you can
• Buy local produced crafts
• Recycle used cards
• Steer clear of plastic if possible – recycle if not
• Give vouchers for a meal out or cinema/theatre/concert tickets
• Use a compost bin for all fruit & vegetable waste
• Recycle real trees after Christmas
• Consider buying rechargeable batteries instead of regular ones
• Buy well-made, durable toys and gifts
• Make a donation to a charity

The list of events for January can be found here

The Environmental Pillar which is made up of 28 national environmental groups has welcomed the publication this week by the Minister for Energy of the White Paper on Energy. The Group says that the White Paper outlines a vision for an emission free future and is a first step in a road towards the end of the use of fossil fuels. With over 90 actions listed to achieve Ireland’s energy transition the document is broad in scope but the Environment Pillar says that it needs to be flexible enough to deliver zero emissions far sooner than the 2100 target. To read the White Paper on Energy see http://www.dcenr.gov.ie.

Mícheál Callaghan, Chairperson of Transition Monaghan has withdrawn from his role as he has been nominated by the Green Party as their Dáil candidate for the Cavan- Monaghan constituency. Mícheál has been an integral part of Transition Monaghan from the very start having co-found the group (then known as Monaghan Ecological Group) back in 2011.  He has been a driver for many of the events and workshops we have held over the years and has contributed a number of articles to our ‘Sustainability Matters’ column in the Northern Standard newspaper.

Mícheál’s work ethic and enthusiasm  will be greatly missed but we at Transition Monaghan wish Mícheál the very best in his election campaign.

The recently concluded UN climate change talks in Paris (COP21), which have been surrounded by much hype, have provoked widely diverging opinions. Transition Monaghan member, Mícheál Callaghan, was one of thousands of activists who travelled to Paris for the final days of the COP. He gives his views on the deal as well as well as possible next steps.

I was part of a delegation of Irish activists who travelled to Paris for the final days of the Conference of the Parties (COP). We felt it was important to travel and take part in actions and demonstrations to highlight the importance of a climate deal.

Mícheál Callaghan

Thousands of people from all walks of life made the journey, and in their coming together there was a sense of a unified and powerful climate justice movement. What was striking was that people of all ages were in attendance, reflecting the fact that climate change is an inter–generational issue.

Despite the ‘State of Emergency’, a number of demonstrations were facilitated by the French police. It was a privilege to have been involved in the ‘Red Lines’ action on Saturday morning. Over 15,000 people took to the streets to demand climate justice. With chants of ‘We are unstoppable, another world is possible’, it felt more like a celebration of a strengthening movement, rather than a traditional ‘protest’. Chants, banners and samba drums, created a euphoric atmosphere. The positivity of the throngs highlighted that even faced with huge global threats such as climate change and terrorism, people can unite for the common good.

MIXED OUTCOMES

“By comparison to what it could have been it’s a miracle. By comparison to what it should have been it’s a disaster.” British journalist George Monbiot aptly captures the spectrum of opinion on COP21.

The deal, aims to keep temperature rises well below 2 degrees, and as close to possible to 1.5 degrees. While this is a huge step in the right direction, the commitments made by individual countries as part of the agreement, would lead to temperature increases closer to 3 degrees. There is still huge work to be done to ensure that countries increase their pledges to meet the target of the Paris Agreement.

Some of the strongest criticism for the deal comes from its failure to adequately protect those most affected by climate change, in the developing world. As with many international agreements there is no mechanism to impose liability or sanctions on countries who do not meet their targets, meaning good – will, co – operation and civil society pressure will play an important role. 

WHERE TO NEXT?

First, the agreement to keep temperature changes as close to 1.5 degrees as possible will require a concerted effort by leaders from politics, business and civil society. It will need a shift in direction in all policy areas. Ireland will be bound by the EU’s commitment to reduce emissions by 40% by 2030. In doing so we have the opportunity to re-invent our economy and society, by providing sustainable jobs in agriculture (in particular organic and crop based farming), forestry, retro-fitting all buildings to make them more liveable and protecting our natural habitats, especially peatlands.

Secondly, the mass mobilisation of activists in Paris is only the beginning of a strengthening and determined movement for a better future. If world leaders do not step up to the mark, they can expect to be held to account by civil society. The Paris agreement has provided the opportunity for us to win the most important struggle of our time.

For further information on how you can become involved in playing your part in building a fossil fuel free Co. Monaghan, keep an eye on http://www.transitionmonaghan.org

December and January events can be found here and here respectively.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently warned of the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistant bacteria.  This means that common antibiotics we routinely use to treat small infections may soon be useless and could leave us in life-threatening situations.  Dearbhla Lenehan, a PhD research student and member of Transition Monaghan takes a look how this era of antibiotic resistant bacteria has come about.

There are many situations in which antibiotics are really important in combatting illness, but taking antibiotics when we don’t need them can be harmful and helps bacteria become resistant to them.  There are two main organisms that cause infections – viruses and bacteria.  Viruses cause illnesses more often than bacteria. Viruses cause colds, flus, sore throats and most coughs. Unfortunately, taking antibiotics for a viral infection  will not make you feel  better  and can help bacteria turn into                                                   superbugs.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Dearbhla Lenehan

Another reason for the emergence of these superbugs is not finishing a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria and when we take them, both good and bad bacteria in our bodies are killed.  When we start to feel better we might think there is no need to continue taking our medication.  This is not true.  The first antibiotic dose will kill off a lot of the infection causing bacteria, which is why you start to feel better, however, if you do not finish your antibiotic course, there are still some infection causing bacteria left in your system.  If they are not all killed off, it allows these surviving bacteria time to thrive once again by becoming resistant to the antibiotic that tried to kill them.

The overuse of antibiotics in the farming industry is a massive contributor to the emergence of these antimicrobial resistant bacteria strains.  Farm animals and poultry are routinely given antibiotics for prevention and treatment of disease.

In organic food production antibiotics are not used on the same scale as on non-organic farms. An organic farmer may only use antibiotics on animals in the interest of animal welfare and where other options have failed or are likely to fail. When an animal is treated with antibiotics on organic farm, that animal, or any derived food such as milk, meat or eggs, is not allowed to enter the human food chain for a defined withdrawal period following treatment. Perhaps we as consumers should whenever possible try to buy organic produce – the more of us who buy such produce the more farmers will convert to organic systems. In Co Monaghan there are only about 15 organic producers or processors listed as being certified or ‘in conversion’ to organics.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has warned that urgent control measures must be instated to reduce the number of farm animals and poultry being given antibiotics.  This comes as a recent report found that antimicrobial resistant bacteria are transmitted from farm animals into the food chain. How bacteria gain this resistance is through sharing genes with naturally occurring environmental microorganisms that have resistance genes normally. When exposed to low levels of antibiotics, in a bid to survive, bacteria can acquire these resistance genes from other species. This is how bacteria become antibiotic resistant allowing existing pathogens, to gain greater resistance and turn into ‘superbugs’.

The European Centre for Disease Control estimates around 25,000 deaths a year in the EU is caused by resistant bacteria. It is no wonder that bacteria become resistant to antibiotics when approximately 250,000 tonnes of antibiotics are used annually for medical and agricultural use.  In a bid to reduce the resistance evolution, the recent FSAI report concluded that we need to prevent infections on farms so drugs don’t have to be used and that surveillance along the food chain must be improved. WHO and the US Centers of Disease Control understand that we are entering a superbug era and have identified this as high priority research.  We too can help halt bacterial resistance by using antibiotics wisely both in healthcare and faming. The advice is not to dump unused antibiotics in drains or toilets but rather bring them to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.

While research on antibiotics and superbugs is ongoing, we all still need to take precautionary measures now to avert a situation emerging in which antibiotics are completely useless – and this could happen in the very near future.

Source: Food Safety Authority of Ireland

The December Noticeboard can be found here and the January noticeboard is here

The Communtiy Energy Proclamation is available at this link and is attached.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B91skN4BggMWTzFxd1MxeFFob1k/view?usp=sharing

or by clicking on the following pdf file – Community_Energy_Proclamation

Join in Global Call for a Safe Climate for This & Future Generations

People in Co. Monaghan have the opportunity to support the call for action on climate change and climate justice by attending the Peoples Climate March in Dublin on this Sunday, 29 November. The march is one of 1500 marches taking place in 70 countries in advance of the crucial climate talks taking place in Paris in December.

A bus is being organised by the Transition Monaghan Group and it will call via Monaghan, Castleblayney and Carrickmacross to pick up anyone who wishes to go along. The times of departure are 11am from the Court House Car Park, Monaghan; 11:30am from the Old Coach Inn, Castleblayney; 12 noon from Carrickmacross Courthouse Square. To book tel 086 8130296 or email transitionmonaghan@gmail.com – preferably by tomorrow Friday at 6pm. Further details on Transition Monaghan Facebook page and at http://www.transitionmonaghan.org.

It is anticipated that hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets, in buoyant mood, to demand strong action on climate change, in marches and gatherings across the globe. As well as the gathering in Dublin, there will be gatherings in Belfast and Cork and show that we demand action from politicians to secure a stable future for us all.

The marches happen the day before world leaders gather in Paris for hugely significant UN Climate Change talks (COP21), where it is hoped that they will agree a legally binding text which will set the world on a path to stabilise the climate this century. Based on pledges made by countries to date it is unlikely it will be enough to bring the world under the critical 2 degree warming threshold to avoid runaway climate change. Therefore civil society has an important role to play in calling on politicians to go further. Indeed COP21 is about much more than staying below 2 degrees of warming. Climate change is an economic, social and security issue. It is an opportunity for politicians and citizens to unite to create a more stable world of enough, where people are not driven to conflict to attain basic resources like water and food.

In the wake of recent atrocities, COP21 is an opportunity for leaders to show they are committed to peace and security by reaching a deal in Paris. The campaigning group AVAAZ has called on people to turn up in their hundreds of thousands around the world in solidarity with the people of Paris, who will not be allowed to march at this time. Indeed, thousands of activists who had planned to travel to Paris during COP21 will no longer be allowed to march peacefully in Paris during the conference. While security is undoubtedly on everyone’s minds, it is a sad reality that ordinary citizens will be prevented from voicing their concerns over the future of the planet, while large and powerful lobbyists, many from the fossil fuel industry, will have privileged, high – security access to the conference, where they will attempt to woo politicians against necessary emissions cuts. Let’s all do what we can, and turn up in strength and solidarity on this Sunday and show politicians that we stand with them in their attempts to secure a positive deal for us all.

More than Just a March

While the march will be a focal point of action in Ireland before COP21, there are other prominent events coming up. On Friday and Saturday the Pope’s recent encyclical, ‘Laudato Si’ will be the focus of a conference in Dalgan Park, Navan. Speakers including Eco–theologian Fr Sean McDonagh, climate scientist Professor John Sweeney and leader of the Green Party Eamon Ryan will address the links between theology and the climate. If you are unable to attend this event, but would still like to learn more about the encyclical and discuss how it is relevant to life in Co. Monaghan, there is a discussion group every Monday evening in the Pastoral Centre Monaghan at 7:30pm.

The climate marches remind us that we need to move to a low carbon economy.  On this theme a free ECOPRO seminar take place this Saturday in DCU, Dublin. It’s entitled ‘Sustainable Communities, Sustainable Jobs, Developing a Circular Economy’.  See Noticeboard below for contact details for all events mentioned above.

It’s worth bearing in mind, that the climate march and the energy generated around the Paris talks is only the start of a citizen–led movement which is gaining momentum around the world. Transition Monaghan have plans to organise a number of events promoting local action and resilience in Co. Monaghan, and we always welcome new members. Keep an eye on this column or http://www.transitionmonaghan.org to keep up to date with how you can get involved!