Climate Case Ireland has delivered an open letter to the government calling upon it to announce a date for a citizens’ assembly on the biodiversity emergency before the Dáil recess this summer.
The group further calls for the assembly’s agenda to include the possible recognition of a constitutional right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and the principles of a just transition.
Friends of the Irish Environment made headlines when it won its legal case ‘Climate Case Ireland’ against the government in July 2020, becoming only the second case in the world in which a government’s “overall level of mitigation ambition was successfully challenged in court”.
Campaigners behind Climate Case Ireland are now calling on Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to follow through on a promise made more than two years ago by government.
‘No visible progress’ on citizens’ assembly on biodiversity
“On May 9, 2019, the Dáil declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and called for the citizens’ assembly to examine how the state can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss,” Climate Case Ireland said.
“In the Programme for Government agreed in June 2020, the government parties committed to ‘progress the establishment of a citizens’ assembly on biodiversity’ but so far, no visible progress has been made.
“In March 2021, Ireland – alongside 68 other countries – submitted a statement to the UN Human Rights Council stating that a ‘safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is integral to the full enjoyment of human rights’.”
Clodagh Daly, campaign coordinator with Climate Case Ireland said:
“The constitution is a living document and needs to change to give us the rights we need as people in a rapidly changing world.
“In the midst of a climate and biodiversity crisis, we need to decide whether the time has come to enshrine the right to an environment in the Irish constitution.”
Matthew Mollahan of Climate Case Ireland added:
“If the government is supporting action to advance the recognition of environmental rights at the international level, a referendum at the national level should be proposed for consistency. A citizens’ assembly on biodiversity provides an opportune forum to discuss this.”
Climate bill in final stages
Meanwhile, the climate bill is continuing its journey through the Oireachtas this week.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 is now in its fourth stage and will be before the Dáil once again on Wednesday (June 16).
In this report stage, a last opportunity is given for members to make amendments to the bill.
New amendments cannot be brought forward, just those from committee stage. When all amendments have been dealt with, the bill will then go to final stage.
Also, last week (June 9), a consultation on the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the bill opened.
All interested parties are invited to share their views. The closing date for submissions is 5:30p.m on July 7.