Author Archives: John Gibbons
Sustainability crisis no less critical than climate change
If self-immolation were somehow our collective goal, there is no surer way of expediting this outcome than to allow the rampant clearing of the world’s remaining forests. A critical place to start is in cracking down on imports of illegally … Continue reading
Posted in Biodiversity, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Sustainability
Tagged Biodiversity, climate change, Dimas, Easter Island, EU, forestry, habitat loss, Maya, species loss, Sustainability, timber, WWF
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John Bull takes climate change by the horns
We’re the ones with the Greens in Government, yet it’s Britain that has gone and set up a new department of Energy and Climate, headed by Ed Miliband. The UK is also to adopt a more severe target to cut … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged Britain, carbon, climate change, Coal, emissions, Greenpeace, Miliband, Poland
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Half-baked Alaskan science bears closer scutiny
They say the first casualty in war is the truth. The same surely applies to elections, and none more so than the crucial US election on November 4th next. Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin has shown a startling contempt for … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sceptics
Tagged Bush, climate change, CO2, Energy, environment, Exxon Mobil, global warming, Newstalk, Palin, sceptics
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Not watching the road
Today FM’s The Last Word yesterday evening featured two items with a climate twist, I was involved in one (a discusssion as to why, according to a UK survey, people who profess green credentials still engage in lots of long-haul … Continue reading
Eco nuts/clowns deliver a message to Michael
In July I wrote what I thought was a fairly measured article about the environmental impacts of our culture of low-cost flying. The main focus of the piece was on comments made by Aer Lingus boss, Dermot Mannion decrying EU … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged aviation, emissions, Michael O'Leary, Ryanair
3 Comments
Sleepwalking across the climate ‘Red Line’
As of three years ago the Earth was already committed to rise of global mean temperatures by 2.4°C. This is the shocking conclusion of a new study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). This is … Continue reading
Posted in Biodiversity, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Sustainability
Tagged albedo, Arctic, Biodiversity, climate change, deglaciation, EU, glaciers, IPCC, Northwest Passage, WWF
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Labouring under some misconceptions
What has meat go to do with climate change? At first glance, not a lot. But dig a little deeper and you’ll soon find that the sharp increases in meat consumption in the last decade or two is a major … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged agriculture, CO2, Dr Rajendra Pachauri, emissions, IFA, IPCC, Labour, meat, Sherlock, Tuffy, vegetarian
4 Comments
Getting the green message out is no Picnic
I gave the eco credentials of the Electric Picnic an enthusiastic write up in Thursday’s Irish Times column, describing it as “probably one of the most impressive environmental showcases ever assembled in Ireland”. The theme was taken up later that … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged Cultivate, Duncan Stewart, Eamon Ryan, Electric Picnic, festival, Irish Times, John Gibbons, Rethink Tank, Sunday Times, Today FM
3 Comments
The only way is up?
Today’s news report by Harry McGee in the Irish Times will come as a shock to those of us who had hoped against hope that the runaway carbon emissions train was at least being brought to a halt, whatever about … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming
11 Comments
Dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t?
The McAleer/McElhinney bandwagon pulled into town on Thursday evening, with an appearance on TodayFM’s The Last Word with Anton Savage. The station had asked me to appear to challenge/counter some of his ‘global-warming-is-all-a-big-conspiracy-to-keep-you-poor-and-raise-taxes’ line of, for want of a better … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus
9 Comments
Not Evil, just Cynical
Climate scepticism is good business indeed. Especially if you’re a struggling film maker anxious to make a quick name and buck for yourself. An Irish duo, Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney are the latest to hop on the bandwagon with … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming
5 Comments
Thumbs down for Top Gear
The TV license currently costs €160 a year. That money allows RTE to deliver its public service commitment, including expensive programming such as Prime Time that, were cost and crude ratings the only consideration, might be ditched in favour of … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged fuel, Prius, RTE, Top Gear, TV3
4 Comments
Taking the Mick on aviation and climate change
A week ago my column in the Irish Times dared to suggest that maybe, just maybe, dirt cheap aviation à la the Ryanair model (now aped by our former national carrier as well) is perhaps not the world’s best idea … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged Aer Lingus, airport, aviation, cheap flights, emissions, EU, KLM, Michael O'Leary, pollution, Ryanair, subsidy, travel
6 Comments
Whatever you do, do nothing
And so the G-8 Summit draws to a close in Japan. This Group of Eight major nations somehow manages to exclude from membership both India and China, which between them account for more than a third of humanity, as well … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Irish Focus
Tagged Bali, Bush, climate change, G-8, Japan, John Gibbons, Kyoto, Oxfam
3 Comments
Only treehuggers need apply?
Once upon a time, the phrase ‘green’ implied wide-eyed extremism. You know the types, living in the trees in the Glen of the Downs or rolling in the mud at some bizarre eco hug-in festival in deepest rural Roscommon. Yes, … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged DDT, Gaia, green, Irish Times, John Gibbons, organic, science, Sustainability, UCC, William Reville
10 Comments
