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KERRY Climate Action Network held a public pre-election event in IT Tralee last Thursday evening with over 50 people in attendance.
Three general election candidates turned up for the event, with each speaking to the audience about how they and their parties plan to address climate change and biodiversity loss if elected.
Fianna Fáil’s Norma Foley described the Network as a ‘formidable positive force’ and stated she intends to work with her party’s initiatives to help secure funding for local community environment projects including recognition and protection of open spaces and biodiversity in smaller areas.
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Ted Cronin, running as Independent for the Animal Welfare Party, highlighted that one way we can all have less of an impact on the planet and animals is to have a more plant-based diet: “We need to start gradually transitioning agriculture towards plant-based farming now, not in 10 years, action is needed now.”
Cleo Murphy of the Green Party was last to speak, stating that “climate work on community level needs to be recognised but there is a woeful lack of action on a political national level”.
She spoke about some of the major issues facing Ireland’s climate crisis including farming, lack of public transport and the related high dependency on cars.
The discussion was then opened up to the rest of the floor. Some of the issues raised included: illegal dumping, lack of rural public transport, a need for more local food production and food sovereignty, the effect flooding is/will have on housing, animal cruelty and welfare, production and overconsumption of plastics, funding for volunteer groups, 5G, hedge cutting, emissions and taxing of corporations with high emissions.
The event closed with updates on the next steps for Kerry Climate Action Network and details about future direction and projects, taking input from those in the room.
The network’s current primary focus is on improving communications across all media platforms and the planned launch of a website collating individual and group climate actions and events happening in the county of Kerry.
The next Kerry CAN (Climate Action Network) meeting is due to be held on the second Tuesday of next month, March 3 at 6:30pm in Tobar Naofa, Moyderwell, Tralee – all are welcome.
