Episodes
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Offsetting carbon emissions seems to offer a way for individuals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, even if they can't eliminate emissions entirely. Offsetting funds projects like reforestation, renewable energy, and clean technology development.
BUT evidence is mounting that offsetting is "junk" and being used as a marketing tool to avoid real emissions reductions, in other words, Greenwashing!
Ciara, Darragh and Anna explore the question of carbon offsets and whether they are actually worthless.
But planting trees is still worthwhile, here are some tree planting organisations to consider:
Home Tree
Tress on the Land
Reforest nation
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Halloween is this week and there's a lot of scary news out there. The latest UN Emissions Gap Report warns that we are on course for 3 degrees of warming. There's no more time for 'hot air'.
Darragh, Ciara and Anna agree with Oxfam that the scariest monsters this Halloween are the Bloody Billionaires! No more treats for them while they trick the rest of us.
Billionaires emit more carbon pollution in 90 minutes than the average person does in a lifetime | Oxfam International
ACTIONS for this week
Recommended reading from a regular listener: If Everyone Tripped on Psychedelics, We’d Do More About Climate Change
Sign up with Friends of the Earth for a Climate Justice Day of Action: Tuesday, November 12th. On this day, FoE invite you to get out into your communities and talk to neighbours, friends, family or indeed local politicians about the most pressing climate justice issues of the day. There are many ways to participate.
Darragh is excited about the start of the Irish Garden Birds Survey
And you can have your say on our national parks in this consultation.
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Missing episodes?
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Ciara wants to know why air travel is so cheap and what's wrong with cheap flights anyway - we all need a bit of sunshine don't we? And we're on an island after all.
And aren't all the airlines going sustainable anyway?
We hear a lot in the Irish media about the need to raise the Dublin airport passenger cap but not so much about the impact of air travel on the environment, or about how airlines can offer such cheap fares. Which begs the question, why are the Irish press so obsessed with celebrating aviation and overlooking the climate implications of flying?
In this climate question episode, Ciara, Darragh and Anna go deep on air travel, why it's such a big source of pollution, the real costs of flying, and whether 'net zero targets' are real.
Buy us a coffee; donate and help us with the upkeep of the podcast.
Find out more:
Check out episode 15 of Hot Mess with Phillip Boucher-Hayes
Read about the Aviation tax gap | DigitalOcean
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The Climate Alarm Clock is back, and we've just turned 3 years old!
Buy us a coffee to celebrate :)
Darragh, Ciara and Tom talk over the new reports from the WWF and the EPA.
The Living Planet Reprt 2024 , is a stark report released by the World Wildlife Fund, reporting on biodiversity loss all over the world.
Irelands Environmental Protection Agency has released Ireland's Shtate of the Environment Report 2024 about how the nations effort to combat the climate crisis is going, or not going as the case may be.
What can we do?
Organisations like Cuan beo, Corrib Beo, Boyne Rivers Trust! Waters of Life - lists trusts around Ireland to check out. Channel your despondence into joining a group!
Climate Action Week! Get involved!!
Check out the wildling movie on Thursday evening.
Climate Justice Universities Union have a meeting, 21st November
Your Parks, Your Say
Samhain Festival of Food & Culture - https://foodcultureireland.ie/samhain/
festival showcases the very best of Irish food and drink, food culture and history through a weekend long series of events from food & drinks tastings and cookery demonstrations, to food safaris, farm visits, kids workshops, discussions and debates with Ireland’s foremost culinary experts
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In our final episode of the summer, Anna, Ciara, Darragh and Tom discuss Ireland's latest greenhouse gas emissions report - good news, bad news or both? Professor Barry McMullen has criticised the toxic positivity about the latest emissions, is he right?
And a new report on Climate in the Mind has some interesting findings that point to the influence of misinformation.
Meanwhile, the planet has had its hottest 12 months ever.
We finish the season with a reminder of some good news and as ever some actions to take.
Actions we recommend:
Mark the date and register for climate camp on the shores of Lough Neagh August 7th to 11th 2024!
Don't forget Gaza, keep the pressure on by getting to a national demonstration [Dublin] National Demonstration for Palestine – Stop Arming Israel!
Email your TDs – we know they’ll be working on Budget 2025 . Tell them what you need to see this spent on. Solar panels, public transport, electric car grants – There’s a general election in the air and we need action. So annoy the hell out of your TDs and push for action !
See you all in October ! (or at climate camp before that)
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Buy us a coffee and leave a comment :)
We start with good news, the Nature Restoration Law is passed in the EU, thanks to the leadership of a 'rogue' Austrian environment minister. Darragh, Anna and Ciara discuss how it happened, the role Ireland played and some of the reactions.
Then, what have the Greens done for us anyway? We chat about Eamon Ryan's resignation and legacy.
Extreme heat is killing people around the world, from the Hajj in Mecca to Greece and the US midwest, and a new study examines resilience in the face of disasters.
In good news, rewilding creates jobs in Scotland.
And we're impressed with Just Stop Oil again.
Actions:
Go out and enjoy nature!
In Dublin, check out Stoneybatter Festival, they have an EcoHub and a Bike Bop.
Listen to the new series of Hot Mess with Philip Boucher-Hayes
Have your say... Fill in the goverment issued survey on Climate conversations
Join Talamh Beo
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This weeks pod is hosted by Darragh and Tom...
As the dust is settling on the election, we unpick what it all means for the planet....
We discuss some the poisoning of the Allow River in Cork and the hypocrisy of our pensions are being invested into Fossil Fuels
And Tom Spencer lends his expertise to the proposed levy on Chinese EV's
Actions:The Rethinking Growth Conference looks like it will be interesting and worth attending for any Dubliners out there
Listen to some thought provoking music from singer Peggy Seeger:
How I Long For Peace & Song of Choice
Celebrate the Summer Solstice on Friday week and reconnect with nature
and Consider joining political party????
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We have a rant about Regina Doherty and her comments on bike lanes.
The confusion and misinformation around consumer goods and the environment is as bad as it ever was, we discuss greenwashing.
Anna's favourite band Coldplay are doing their bit for the planet, or are they?
And the deposit return scheme starts to show real success
Actions:If you're listening ahead of your vote today , check out https://www.whichcandidate.ie/ to help you decide
IBikeBop for the next group cycle around Dublin. Check out their Facebook and/or Twitter
If you're interested in in attending the Rethinking Growth Conference on 25th and 26th June in Trinity, Dublin. go to https://rethinking-growth.ie/
LIsten to our previous episodes with psycologist Eoin Galavan on the psychology of climate change here and here
Lisa Fingleton's Voices from the Field is a great piece looking positively at what the future of agriculture could look like
It's pride month, ally yourself with the community and have a read about the disproportionate effect of climate change on the LGBT community here
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Coffee...?
The EPA has published Ireland's Greenhouse Gas Emissions projections and surprise surprise, we are not going to hit our targets. Darragh, Ciara and Anna dig into the details and the political reactions. What does this mean for the upcoming elections? Some of the opposition parties insist the government should be doing more, while Eamon Ryan accuses them of doing nothing. Who's right and does it matter?
While we're arguing about it, the climate is heating up around the world. India and Pakistan see record heat and Bangladesh is reeling from a record breaking storm.
But there are some (sort of) good news stories too... the EU is using less fossil fuels, renewable energy is growing in the US and the US public are in favour of suing big oil.
Actions for this week:
Get election ready. Check out your European election candidates on the Journal. See which candidates you agree with most based on the issues. The Friends of the Earth election toolkit has all the info you need.
Sign up to the Temperature check newsletter from Lauren Boland and the Journal.
Watch Birdsong on the RTE Player, it's inspiring!
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Darragh is back from his slow travels and is joined by Ciara and Anna to look at the climate news.
A scientific study has concluded that our extremely wet winter was made wetter and windier by climate change.
The local and european elections are coming up on June 7th, why do they matter and how do you tackle a candidate at your doorstep? (Ciara wants to know).
We also find some good news stories to share, our national bird is making a comeback.
Actions we recommend this week:
Check out the Friends of the Earth election toolkit and email your councillor candidates.
This EU Parliament Scoreboard | WWF shows you how Irish parties voted on climate and environmental issues (hint: some have very poor voting records).
If you want to know more, sign up for European election hustings on May 28th.
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*well said Joan Baez
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It's all doom, gloom, misinformation and a bit of hope this week.
With Darragh away, Anna and Ciara are joined by Tom Spencer, of IrishEvs.com to discuss what's in the news.
A survey of climate scientists by the Guardian finds only 6% think 1.5 is still alive. Many experts are in despair at the lack of political will to take action to avert catastrophe. We discuss reactions -- is this too much doom, are scientists the right people to be asking and why are they still insisting action is important?
Meanwhile, stories about EVs caught Tom's eye. He highlights how a lot of the 'bad news' is speculation or even misinformation.
We have some good news about Ireland playing a leadership role in Europe.
And as always, some actions we can all take:
If you’re in Dublin… get to the Garden of Remembrance for 1pm on Saturday for National Demonstration for Palestine… march to help end the ongoing Nakba.
If you’re not in Dublin check out the listings on IPSC.ie Emergency Actions for Palestine Around Ireland and find one near you.
Also Irish Artists for Palestine - Alternative eurovision - Two live shows in Dublin and Galway, streamed on YouTube, aiming to raise 100K, Watch back, donate, share!
Elections are coming up… are you a climate voter? Not Here Not Anywhere has launched its local elections climate pledge, encouraging candidates to be climate leaders, not climate culprits! Check out their website for ideas on how to contact your local candidates and what to ask them to do.
Ciara recommends a naked Street Feast
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You can buy us a coffee here !
It's Earth Week but that didn't stop Scotland backtracking on its ambitious climate targets. And Unilever, one of the largest users of plastic packaging in the world, decided to reduce its plastic reduction targets too. We talk about what's going on with the growing corporate and political backlash against climate action. Pragmatic or just delaying?
Meanwhile in Ireland, a new poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth finds no sign of climate backlash in Irish public opinion. We take a look at some of the more interesting findings.
We find some good news coming from California too!
And as always, we have some actions to suggest:
Not Here Not Anywhere is launching its local elections climate pledge, encouraging candidates to be climate leaders, not climate culprits! The official launch is on Weds May 1st outside Dail Eireann at 1pm, all welcome if you can make it. If not, check out their website for ideas on how to contact your local candidates and what to ask them to do.
Add your name to the urgent petition calling for a strong Global Plastics Treaty.
Finally... go for a walk! Listen to the birds and enjoy Spring! But not before listening to Elaine McGoff's lovely Earth Day reflections.
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G'wan you can buy us a coffee if you want!
The gang are back together! Darragh, Ciara and Anna look at what's been happening since we took a break in December.
(There's a hint in the episode title)
We reflect on how much worse the situation in Gaza is now and how that links back to climate justice.
Global average temperatures continue to break records and food production is being badly affected by rain here in Ireland and drought in other countries. Ciara has been working with food producers who are on the frontlines and struggling.
And a new research study provides shocking estimates of the cost of climate damage. A CONSERVATIVE estimate is that climate damage will cost $38 trillion every year! Much cheaper to start mitigating and reduce emissions now.
In a good news story, the Swiss klimatsenioren won a landmark case in the European Court of Human Rights which opens the door to other countries being held accountable for protecting their citizens with climate action.
What can we do? (apart from suing the government!). Some actions we suggest this week:
Join Talamh Beo to work for fairer food systems. Plant some seedlings while you're at it.
Come along to Friends of the Earth education day on global justice in Richmond Barracks, Dublin 8 on Saturday 27th April
Check out the Long Time Project for intergenerational thinking
Organise a Street Feast (your neighbours will love you for it).
Support Médicins Sans Frontières with this amazing song from Roisin el Cherif!
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Season Finale! A big thanks to all our listeners and wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas season and new year -- see you in 2024!
Cop28 finished with a standing ovation, but what was really achieved? Ciara, Darragh and Anna take a look at reactions to fossil fuels being mentioned in a COP agreement for the first time. Darragh dusts off his analogies and even Ciara tries a sporting analogy (we're not sure what sport though).
Here in Ireland, the Dail passed a motion calling on Ireland to support the Fossil Fuels Non Proliferation treaty (nepotism alert here, the motion was sponsored by Thomas Pringle, TD).
And as always, we finish off with some festive actions:
Join a rally for Palestine happening around the country this Saturday (and other days too), details on the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign website.
Ciara recommends abandoning the tat and gifting people wholesome experiences this Christmas. She's offering a walk in the woods with herself.
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Ciara, Darragh and Anna are delighted to welcome Eoin Galavan back to do our news roundup with us.
Eoin Galavan is a clinical psychologist and one of the founding members of the Psychological Society of Ireland’s Environmental and Climate special interest group. Eoin did a couple of special episodes with us over the summer that were hugely popular, helping us unpick climate anxiety and the psychology of how we deal with climate change (links below).
This week it's all about COP28 kicking off in Dubai. What can we expect from the annual gathering of the countries of the world? What will the global stocktake tell us and will there be progress on phasing out fossil fuels? (and why is a Fossil Fuel CEO the president??).
We also look at how petrostates are planning to flood the world with more oil and what might happen with food shortages.
Actions for this week:
Join an Emergency Protest for Palestine Around Ireland – Saturday 1st december
Dublin – March & Rally, 1pm, Assemble @ Garden of Remembrance – March to the DáilEnnis – 11am, O’Connell SquareCork – 1pm, Grand ParadeLimerick – 1pm, Bedford RowTuesday 5th December online, listen to Eoin's lecture on why we are stuck at the Psychological Society of Ireland lecture series
Listen back to our earlier episodes with Eoin: Why are we stuck? and Is Now a Good Time to Freak Out?
Next Saturday 9th December
#NowWeRise – Get out and support the COP 28 Global Day of Action (a march from the Docklands Bord Gáis Energy Theatre to the GPO); organised by Climate Justice Coalition
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https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theclimatealarm
https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-appeal-for-gaza
Ciara, Darragh and Anna are joined by another special guest this week. Comedian and actor Tadhg Hickey (and self-proclaimed Cork morale booster) is famous for his hard-hitting satirical sketches and stand-up comedy. Tadhg’s new memoir: A PORTRAIT OF THE PISS ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN has just been released to critical acclaim. He’s been particularly vocal on Gaza and Palestine and in 2021 raised €30,000 to help refugees there. Tadhg arrived at climate issues through his long-time focus on colonialism and is passionate about climate justice.
Tadhg joins us to take a look at some of this week's headlines.
A new Loss and Damage Deal: Climate Justice is on the agenda at COPGreta Thunberg ruffles some feathers by insisting there's no climate justice on occupied lands And here in Ireland a new Friends of the Earth poll is a ‘temperature check’ on Irish public opinion about climate - we look at the fascinating and sometimes contradictory findings.Actions for this week:
Get to a rally in support of justice in Palestine, lots happening around the country this weekend, details at https://www.ipsc.ie/
Dublin – NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION – March and Rally – 1pm, Garden of Remembrance – Look
Belfast – March and Rally, 1pm, Writers’ Square
Cork – March and Rally, 1pm, Grand Parade
If you can, DONATE to Tadhg's fundraiser for Gaza: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-appeal-for-gaza
Check out this online event: Unite For Climate Solutions - A women led summit on nov 21st
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Or instead of buying the podcast a coffee this week, consider donating to support Palestinians under siege in Gaza: Oxfam , Medicins Sans Frontières and other charities are working hard to help.
Although 70% of Irish people are worried about climate change, many struggle to talk about it which is why here at The Climate Alarm Clock, we're inviting some guests along to the pod! People who aren’t necessarily known for talking about climate change in an effort to expand the conversation, and first up is the fantastic Andrea Horan!
Andrea is co-founder of Tropical Popical, the culture campaigner behind the No More Hotels movement and involved in the Repeal the Eighth campaign, as well as host on the @UnitedIrelandPodcast and Don’t Stop Repealin’ podcasts.
We chatted with Andrea about the recent floods in Ireland with Newry, Wexford, Louth under water this week.
We also cover why Teagasc recently got themselves into some hot water over their support for the Dublin Declaration!
Actions for this week:
Feed your bellies and your minds at Cornucopia's Dinner For Climate Friday November 3rd.
Hear Dr John Barry discuss how focusing on the potential of art, imagination and creativity can help us understand and respond in positive ways to the climate crisis, Belfast 12th of November.
Back in Dublin our pal Colm O’Regan, author of Climate Worrier: A Hypocrite’s Guide to Saving the Planet will join Oisín McGann, author of A Short, Hopeful Guide to Climate Change (Little Island), and Sinéad Moriarty, author of Finding Hope (Gill Books) to discuss the many topical themes to today’s climate debate contained within their writing. November 12th.
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Or instead of buying the podcast a coffee this week, consider donating to support Palestinians under siege in Gaza: Oxfam , Medicins Sans Frontières and other charities are working hard to help.
Cork and Waterford are still under water as we record this episode. Darragh, Anna and Ciara look at the unprecedented flooding from Storm Babet, which brought a month of rain in 24 hours to the South. As the climate gets hotter, we discuss how flooding like this could become more common.
New studies show how the costs of climate events and climate change are growing every year, with some areas becoming uninsurable.
And Greta Thunberg is charged with a public order offence in London after joining a Fossil Free London protest at an "Energy Intelligence" forum (for representatives of fossil fuel industry). Greta continues to be an inspiration, taking personal risks to protest at home in Sweden and now in the UK. Oil company profits are obscene as ever.
In what has been a horrifying week for Israel and Palestine, we note the connections between water scarcity, climate justice and colonialism.
We finish up by looking at some good news and coming up with a plan to parachute beavers into Ireland.
Actions for this week:
Act Local is a new Friends of the Earth campaign that gives you and your community the tools to make change in an already existing group, or the direction to form a new one. Check it out here.
Check out Talamh Beo an organisation working to put farming systems back into the hands of farmers and communities.
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Another month, another record-breaking temperature. Darragh, Anna and Ciara review reactions to the hottest September ever recorded and get out the beachwear ahead of a warm weekend in Ireland.
As it gets hotter, governments are going backwards, especially our nearest neighbours who have once again degenerated into farce, unfortunately for all of us as they renege on climate action commitments.
Meanwhile, an Irish fiscal watchdog warns about the cost of climate action, while ignoring the benefits and the science (well they are economists).
And the Pope comes out swinging in favour of climate action.
Things to do this week:
Come to the Irish Film Institute on Tuesday at 6:30 for a showing of the movie, How to Blow Up a Pipeline , followed by what will be a lively debate chaired by Anna.
On the 14th Oct, in Kilkenny County Council, a workshop for teachers called 'Creativity in a Changing Climate' is being hosted by Lisa Fingleton, details at https://www.creativity.oide.ie/
In Galway, head to Headford's community arts festival this weekend, Something in the Water... lots of great events and reimagining the town centre.
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Our episode title is a quote from a poem by Libyan poet Mustafa al-Trabelsi, who perished in the Derna floods, RIP.
We’re back for another season.
Ciara, Darragh and Anna look at the biggest climate stories in the news and how they’re being covered. The gang are fresh from a Psychology and Climate Change conference, which gave us a much needed boost and some *temporary serenity.
*CW: There might be some bad language at times
Storm Daniel has left a trail of destruction in the Mediterranean and we’re still in shock at the scenes from the floods in Libya in particular. The city of Derna has been destroyed by catastrophic flooding with massive loss of life. The week before the same storm destroyed about 25% of Greece’s agricultural production. Storms like Daniel are intensifying as the climate heats up.
And the climate is heating up, this year is now expected to average 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. We also discuss the news that 6 of 9 planetary boundaries have been exceeded, pushing us beyond the safe space for humans.
Here at home, activists are very happy that the proposed Shannon LNG plant has been refused permission by An Bord Pleanala.
We welcome new climate cases arriving at the European court of Human Rights.
Oh and we bid Bernie bye bye.
Suggested actions:
Check out Earth Rising at IMMA, Kilmainham, a fantastic programme of events from the 21-24th September.
Register for our Online Climate Cafe for chats on Tuesday 26th September at 7.30.
Or attend the launch of All We Want is the Earth. Land, Labour and Movements beyond Environmentalism at 7pm on Tuesday, 26th September in Connolly Books, Temple Bar.
Listen to Darragh spilling all on the Book of Leaves podcast
Read Sally Hayden’s My Fourth Time we Drowned for more insight into Libya and the Mediterranean.
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