Author Archives: John Gibbons
Window on ecological annihilation closing fast
Below, my article that appeared in the Irish Times at the beginning of this month, inspired by the publication in October of the WWF’s ‘Living Planet Report‘. Even when generally inured to the drumbeat of ecological bad news, the Living … Continue reading
Running Amoc – uncertain future for Atlantic current
Below, my first article to appear in Passive House Plus magazine: IF YOU LOOK at Ireland on an atlas, one thing that is striking is just how far north the island is located. Follow the lines of latitude east across … Continue reading
Posted in Arctic, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged AMOC, James Hansen, Kieran Hickey, Myles Allen, World Weather Attribution
1 Comment
Long day’s journey into 1.5º
Let’s get this out of the way first. On climate change, things are worse, a lot worse, than most people have been led to believe. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial would require “rapid and far-reaching” transitions in land, … Continue reading
Organised denial targets Dáil climate committee
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action (JOCCA) has been in session over the last couple of weeks. It is tasked with reviewing the recommendations of last November’s Citizens’ Assembly section entitled: ‘Making Ireland a leader in tackling climate change’ … Continue reading
Creed gets creamed over dodgy dairy data
Going right back to late last year, a concerted campaign has been led by folks in the Department of Agriculture to create ‘alternative facts’ about emissions emanating from our rapidly expanding dairy herd. A new phrase – decoupling – was … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Irish Focus, Media, Pollution, Sustainability
Tagged Dairy emissions, DeSmog UK, Michael Creed
3 Comments
Epic emissions targets failure: it’s the politics, stupid
Below, an article I ran in a well-known satirical publication in mid-June: FOR YEARS, whiny environmental types have been warning repeatedly that the Irish state is treating its legally binding international obligations to cut our carbon emissions as a bit … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged Bord Bia, Denis Naughten, EPA, IBEC, Scotland
6 Comments
The Big Questions that Irish broadcasters shy away from
Other than on the very odd news bulletin wearing my An Taisce hat, I very rarely appear on Irish TV talking about climate change. Much as I might like to paint this as some sinister conspiracy against me personally, the … Continue reading
Citizens’ Assembly has spoken on climate change: Ireland must listen
Below, my article as it appeared in the Irish Times on June 1st, in which I pitched strongly for the findings of the Citizens’ Assembly on climate change to be taken on board via an Oireachtas committee in the same … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged 8th Amendment, Citizens Assembly, democracy
3 Comments
RTE bog broadcast sinks into mire of low standards
Below, a piece I ran in a well-known satirical magazine in May 2018. It was subsequently picked up by the Sunday Times, who also gave the show a bit of a scalding under a piece headed: ‘RTE turfed into trouble over … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged Bord na Mona, Derek Mooney, RTE
2 Comments
LNG at Shannon: selling our future down the river
Below, my article as it appeared on DeSmog.uk on May 15th. ENVIRONMENTAL groups have united in opposing a massive new terminal that would receive fracked gas from the US in a protected area on Ireland’s west coast. They fear … Continue reading
Mainstreaming doubt and nurturing climate denial
Fake news has, since January 2017, received a whole new lease of life, with peddlers of misinformation greatly emboldened by the installation of the Liar-In-Chief at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. However, climate science denial has been in full swing for decades; … Continue reading
World awakens slowly to unfolding plastics catastrophe
Below, my article as published in the April 2018 edition of Village magazine. I’ve been writing for years about the pervasive and ever-expanding threats posed by plastic wastes, but have found few takers in the mainstream media; given the staggering … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Pollution
Tagged David Attenborough, Newstalk, plastic, Repak
1 Comment
Failing farmers, the environment & wider society
My article on our broken agricultural system, as it appeared in the Irish Times on April 7th last. Getting a decent splash on the main OpEd page in the Saturday edition (the IT’s most read day of the week by … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged agriculture, Bord Bia, dairy, IFA, Origin Green, Phil Hogan
1 Comment
Day of reckoning on global extinction crisis draws near
Below, my article as it was published in the Irish Times last month, with some referencing added back in. To borrow one of my own lines, “A solitary species has, in a heartbeat of geological time, overturned and routed half … Continue reading
Posted in Biodiversity, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Sustainability
Tagged Anthropocene, extinction, Irish Times, northern rhino, WWF
7 Comments
Pinker serves up a Panglossian three-card trick
“Things can only get better”, went the lyrics to the hit by D:Ream which became the anthem of the incoming New Labour government in 1997, fronted by the relentlessly upbeat Tony Blair. Six years later, Blair joined the US in … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Psychology
Tagged Bill Gates, Steven Pinker
3 Comments
