Category Archives: Global Warming
A harrowing but narrow vision of our climate-wrecked futures
Back in July 2017, I wrote a précis of an astonishing essay published earlier that year in the New York magazine. Titled ‘The Uninhabitable Earth‘, it set out an uncompromising picture of the rapid unravelling of the global climate system … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Psychology
Tagged David Wallace-Wells, Irish Times, Uninhabitable Earth
1 Comment
Incoherent, inconsistent – and not really funny at all
Below, my article as it appeared on DeSmog UK earlier this month. This is my 13th piece to appear on DeSmog since May 2017, when I reported on the inaugural ICSF meeting in Dublin, featuring big-name US denier, Richard Lindzen. … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media, Sceptics
Tagged DeSmog UK, Gavin Schmidt, GWPF, ICSF, Peter Thorne, Ray Bates
1 Comment
A very British coup: rise and fall of the climate contrarians
In recent months, I’ve been involved as one of a number of authors in an international project for a forthcoming academic publication looking at the state of environmental journalism around the world (my brief covered the UK and Ireland). One of … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Media, Sceptics
Tagged GWPF, Irish Times, Nigel Lawson, Richard Black
1 Comment
A tale told by an idiot, full of sound & fury, signifying nothing
In many respects, 2018 has been another thoroughly dispiriting year on the climate and environment beat. The publication in October of the IPCC’s SR1.5 report extinguished any remote hope that the pace and severity of climate breakdown might be less … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Irish Focus, Media
Tagged Gavin Schmidt, Greta Thunberg, IPCC, Irish Times, Peter Thorne, Ray Bates
7 Comments
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
Posted in Biodiversity, Global Warming, Habitat/Species, Sustainability
Tagged EO Wilson, Living Planet Report, National Biodiversity Forum, WWF
4 Comments
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
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
