Climate and environment hustings: General Election 2024

Date: Wednesday 20 November

Time: 9:30am

Venue: Royal Irish Academy

Moderator: Pat Leahy, Political Editor of The Irish Times

Watch the recording here

The DCU Centre for Climate and Society, Friends of the Earth Ireland and Stop Climate Chaos hosted a climate and environment hustings on 20th November at 9.30am at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. 

Representatives from seven parties discussed their plans for the next phase of Ireland’s climate action journey, in advance of the 29th November General Election.

The speakers were:

• Ivana Bacik, Labour Party
• Thomas Byrne, Fianna Fáil
• Pippa Hackett, Green Party
• Paul Murphy, People Before Profit-Solidarity
• Hildegarde Naughton, Fine Gael
• Darren O'Rourke, Sinn Féin
• Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrats

While there has been substantial progress in the legislative, governance and policy frameworks for climate action over the last five years, we’re still not on track to stay within our national carbon budgets or our EU commitments for 2030. And for too many people the zero pollution options still seem out of reach – either financially or practically. 

The climate challenge is not going away. The next Government will need to prioritise faster and fairer climate action that leaves no one behind.