G7 commits to decarbonisation as EU energy ministers exclude Ireland from new energy sharing pact.

 Monday, June 8th 2015 – Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said today: “The new Climate Advisory Council due to be announced this week will have to act fast in setting Ireland on a course to do without fossil fuels.”

 “The meeting of the G7 leaders has shown that this transition is inevitable as they have committed today to a complete decarbonisation of their energy systems in the course of this century.”

 “It is clear that Ireland is becoming an increasing outlier in the transition that is starting to take shape.  UN Leader Ban Ki Moon gave a sharp message to the Irish Government during his recent visit when he reminded us that it was not right for Ireland to claim an exemption on climate ambition due to our high emissions from agriculture.”

 “Our reputation as a laggard on climate was further reinforced today, when we were left out of an agreement which was signed between thirteen North-Western European countries at a meeting of the European Energy Ministers in Luxembourg. The agreement allows countries to share power in a way which will lower electricity costs, but Ireland and the UK have not signed up.”

 “The new climate advisory council has no real teeth and the climate bill lacks any targets.  We are now falling behind other countries who will gain the advantage from developing the low carbon solutions that we now know are going to be needed across the world.  The council will have to be outspoken to break the growing consensus across the political system that we can ignore climate change.  We would do so at our peril, as various events today have shown.”