Author Archives: John Gibbons
Is a social tipping point on climate within sight?
It is often said that nothing seems to happen for decades, then decades can happen within a matter of months or even weeks. Despite the overall pessimism, there is growing evidence that we are approaching societal inflection points that may … Continue reading
Biosphere buckling under weight of human pressures
Rapid population growth has seen another billion humans added to world population in just the 11 years since 2011. In tandem with dramatic economic growth and accelerating climate change, these are placing unbearable pressures on the biosphere, foreshadowing a near … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Agriculture, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Irish Focus, Sustainability
Tagged contraception, nitrogen, overpopulation
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All easy options are now off the table
Irish political leaders have an unfortunate habit of showing up at international climate conferences and delivering eloquent, impassioned speeches that are clearly not meant to be taken in any way seriously. This time out Micheal Martin took the interesting tack … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged Antonio Guterres, COP27, Enda Kenny, Micheal Martin
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Bringing the climate emergency to book
When this blog first when live in late November 2007, the world was a quite different place. That year, global CO2 levels, as recorded at Mauna Loa, had reached an all-time high of 384 parts per million (ppm). Since then, … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media
Tagged Business Post, George Monbiot, Greta Thunberg, Michael D. Higgins, Michael Mann, Naomi Oreskes, ThinkOrSwim
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Tackling stubborn climate myths & misinformation
Despite the mountains of scientific evidence, as well as what we can see with our own eyes, myths and misinformation about climate change are remarkably stubborn, so I take whatever opportunities on offer to debunk these in as many media … Continue reading
Risky business for insurers as climate crunch bites
As extreme weather ratchets ever upwards, it seems inevitable that more and more locations will become uninsurable over time, whether as a result of coastal inundation, sea level rise or supercharged storms and flooding events. I took a look this … Continue reading
Turning climate protest into an art form
An ingenious protest involving soup and a famous painting threw the global spotlight on the climate emergency in a way that a thousand scientific articles, petitions and marches seemed to have failed to do. I was asked by TheJournal.ie for … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Just Stop Oil, Media, Protest
Tagged Andreas Malm, Antonio Guterres, IPCC, Just Stop Oil, Living Planet Report, Scientist Rebellion, Shell
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Silent killers of the biosphere revealed
I ran this article in the Irish Examiner in early October to mark and honour the 60th anniversary of the publication of ‘Silent Spring’ by Rachel Carson, the book that was arguably the foundation event for the modern environmental movement. Vilified … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged Dave Goulson, DDT, imidacloprid, pesticides, Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
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Carbon offsetting a cynical cop-out on climate action
In the late Middle Ages, there was a roaring trade within the Catholic Church in the sale of indulgences, as handy way for the sinful to wipe the slate clean by purchasing redemption. The abuse of this system is often … Continue reading
Sorting scientific fact from fiction on climate
Seeking out and clinging to reassuring myths as an antidote to the often frightening realities around the climate emergency is a surprisingly common reaction among the public, and even persists amid the all-too-obvious signs of climate breakdown happening in real … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Psychology
Tagged climate denial, Irish Examiner, myths
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A walk on the wild side in the Beara peninsula
Ever wonder what Ireland might look like in its primordial condition? One man set about not just finding out, but recreating this, in a remote corner of south-west Ireland. I filed this review of the book he has just written … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Biodiversity, Global Warming, Sustainability
Tagged Biodiversity, Business Post, Eoghan Daltun, rewilding
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Coming up short on fanciful sectoral emissions goals
As the controversial sectoral budgets for Ireland were published, the Irish Examiner asked for my take on how they measured up, particularly the ultra-low 25% target assigned to Ireland’s largest polluting industry. This piece ran at the start of August. … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Global Warming, Irish Focus
Tagged CCAC, Charlie McConalogue, dairy, Eamon Ryan, Marie Donnelly, Solar energy, Teagasc
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The future is green, Soylent Green
Back in the early 1970s, even the year 2000 seemed an infinity away; for many, it conjured images of a glittering high-tech future. For others, a grim dystopia. The latter view definitely inspired the only film of that era to … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Psychology, Sustainability
Tagged consumerism, Paul Hawken, Victor Lebow, Village Magazine
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We can feel the heat, but are we getting the message?
As the scorching summer of 2022 swept across Europe (it was to be the hottest summer ever recorded on the continent) I filed the below piece for the Business Post at the end of July, framing it around my own … Continue reading
Doffing the ministerial cap to the lobbyists
I contributed the below piece to The Journal in late July by way of a commentary on the ongoing battle by Ireland’s agri-industrial lobby to dodge having to play its fair share in meeting Ireland’s emissions reductions standards. What’s most … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Global Warming
Tagged Charlie McConalogue, Eamon Ryan, EPA, IFA, methane, New Zealand, Origin Green
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