Stop Climate Chaos is the name of a coalition of climate change organisations here in Ireland. Roughly twice a month I’d cycle for 30 minutes from my small country town to the bigger country town avoiding freight trucks, to get the train to dublin. There I’d cycle up to the offices of one of the constituent organisations where we meet to plan the next campaign to highlight the need for the Irish people to address climate change – generally in Concern’s offices these days.

The general malaise after Copenhagen was palpable in the first few meetings after Christmas. The group was generally taciturn, I was generally cranky myself (although that may have been more to do with the fact that I had decided to become vegetarian as my own small contribution to reducing my carbon emissions – I still miss sausages!), but soon the coordinators whipped us back into shape and reminded us to look toward what we can achieve right now… namely changing irish law!

You see the Irish government just before going to Copenhagen stated they would be putting a bill before parliament to regulate their greenhouse gas emissions – a climate law. And now the law has finally shuffled down to going before the TD’s (our abbreviation for our ministers) and it’s a golden opportunity to make a strong and fair law to make Ireland lead by example so that even if the world isn’t capable of pulling its socks up just yet, Ireland will be out in front leading the way – Sweet!

However, in order to get the strong law we need to make sure there’s a good few things – like no loopholes – the land use and forestry policy under the Kyoto Protocol – the LULUCF – was full of loopholes, and we don’t want the same to occur in our legislation here. So I’ve been cycling up to Stop Climate Chaos meetings these last few months through wind rain and angry truck drivers, to help arrange the next campaign. In the SCC’s first campaign after Copenhagen we are organising people across Ireland to write to their elected representatives and meet them up in Dublin to have a cup of tea and a chat about climate change (because in Ireland nothing gets done without tea) and making sure this climate law is strong and watertight!

So if you’re reading this, and are Irish, And want to get your voice heard…

…here’s the linky
http://www.stopclimatechaos.ie/takeaction

Stop Climate Chaos Mass Lobby (with tea) takes place June 2nd at Buswells Hotel 11am-7pm Dublin 2.

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