Host a standalone TV/livestream #GE2024 Leaders' Debate on the Climate & Biodiversity Emergency

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

Just to say that there was a (brief) further exchange of email with RTÉ, available here:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/

While it is fair to say that RTÉ have engaged promptly and constructively, the bottom line remains that there will NOT be a dedicated TV/livestream Leaders' debate on the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. But they have identified a reasonable number of points in their ongoing coverage where the Emergency has been, or will be, raised and they deserve recognition for that. They have also undertaken to relay a set of related "questions for political parties" for consideration by relevant programme teams. You can review these here:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/RTE-follow-up-2024-11-20.pdf

Finally, sincere thanks to everybody who supported this petition. We will obviously still do whatever we can to keep the issue to the fore during the remaining days of the election campaign.

Beir bua - Barry

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

So, we have received a reply from RTÉ - which, in fairness, is a prompt and engaged response. You can read the full message here:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/RTE-says-NO.pdf

Sadly, in summary, it's a flat "no". One key quote: "In advance of the General Election no party asked or suggested to RTÉ that there should be a dedicated leaders’ debate on climate change."

Perhaps there is still a chance of a positive response from Virgin Media Ireland?

In any case, this was only even one battle: the struggle continues! Thank you all for joining with us in it. Lots of election discussion and coverage still to come - so keep on raising it on any platform you can!

Regards - Barry

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

We have now also received formal confirmation from both Fianna Fáil and PBP-Solidarity of their support for a dedicated leaders debate on climate!

On that basis, and given that the time to election day is rapidly shortening, we have today DELIVERED the petition (by email) to both RTÉ and Virgin Media Ireland. You can read the accompanying letters here:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/GE2024LeadersClimateDebate-RTE.pdf
https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/GE2024LeadersClimateDebate-VM.pdf

Thanks again to all our supporters - and do please keep raising this issue on doorsteps!

And the Green Party has publicly confirmed its support for a dedicated leaders debate on climate (at least), and has written to both RTÉ and other parties to that effect:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-41515769.html

Not quite a landslide yet, but please keep pushing!

- Barry

Also there's more news!

Many thanks to The Examiner for carrying a concise version of our open letter today, here:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/yourview/arid-41515361.html

Regards - Barry

PS: If, like me, you are horrified by the role of Elon Musk in recent political developments in the US, and want to exit the twitter/X platform, please consider moving over to bluesky or mastodon. Feel free to follow me on either as:

@autofac.bsky.social
@[email protected]

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

Just to let you all know, all the party leaders were emailed on Monday last (11 Nov) with a copy of this Open Letter:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/GE2024LeadersClimateDebate-OpenLetter-Long.pdf

and a request to confirm their support for the dedicated leaders' debate on the climate and biodiversity emergency. And we have just now received our first formal response, from Ivana Bacik TD, leader of the Labour Party, confirming that she stands ready and willing to participate! We look forward to other leaders following suit. Separately, we were delighted to see this public statement by Ged Nash TD, Labour Party Finance Spokesperson:

"RTÉ’s failure to hold televised climate debate [is] unreal"

https://labour.ie/news/2024/11/12/rtes-failure-to-hold-televised-climate-debate-unreal-nash/

The petition has broken through 800 signatures (now at 833): do please continue sharing and promoting!

Regards - Barry

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

With election campaigning now fully underway, I'm delighted to share the release today of an "Open Letter to Political Leaders" urging the case to prioritise discussion of the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency, and specifically via a TV/livestream Leaders' Debate dedicated to it. You can read the letter here:

https://www.postcarbonireland.org/GE2024/GE2024LeadersClimateDebate-OpenLetter-Long.pdf

Please share widely!

The #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate petition now stands with 748+ signatures, which is very encouraging. I'll update separately on next steps to promote the petition.

But in the meantime I'm delighted to share news that, entirely independent from and complementary to this call for a nationally broadcast TV debate, the DCU Centre for Climate and Society, Friends of the Earth Ireland, and Stop Climate Chaos will be hosting a *climate hustings* on 20th November at 9.30am at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. Specific political party representatives are not yet confirmed, but hopefully there will be broad engagement. The event will have a live audience and will also available by livestreaming. All are welcome, but registration is mandatory, via this page:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5oDg0hq5b8Y72isUHtbuz0_AuP6fpx0G5ibEsyn8ey9-5RA/viewform?pli=1

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

Can I commend to you all the column today in the Irish Times by Hannah Daly, here:

https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/climate-crisis/2024/11/07/election-2024-will-parties-stand-firm-on-the-climate-law/

It's an excellent piece, and deserves widespread dissemination!

Regards - Barry

Dear Friends of #GE2024 #LeadersClimateDebate -

Many thanks to all who were able to join our webinar panel discussion this morning, and a special thanks to my co-panelists Hannah Daly, John Sweeney and Clare Kelly. A recording is now available via this link:

https://tinyurl.com/GE2024ClimateDebatePanelReplay

Do please feel free to disseminate this as widely as possible.

Kind regards - Barry

Dear friends -

As we anticipate the election being formally called within the next week or so, the signatures to the petition are still gathering pace, with over 650 to date. It would be great to push that further this week (with the anticipation of formally sending the petition to the Director General of RTÉ and CEO of Virgin Media Ireland very soon after the election is called).

In the meantime, a quick reminder that we're having a webinar panel discussion of the petition tomorrow, Tuesday 5th Nov, 11.30am-12.30pm with myself, Hannah Daly (UCC), John Sweeney (emeritus MU) and Clare Kelly (TCD). Do please join us if you can; and we will also make a recording available afterward. Registration link here:

https://tinyurl.com/GE2024ClimateDebateWebinar

If you have any difficulty with registration, please email: [email protected]

Kind regards - Barry

Dear friends -

Thanks again for your continued support and promotion of the call for a standalone TV/livestream #GE2024 Leaders' Debate on the Climate & Biodiversity Emergency. We've crossed another important threshold, with more than 550 signatures, even before the election has been formally called.

But despite the horrific images of flooding devastation from Valencia, Spain this week, there is still limited political attention being paid: we have to continue to push as hard as possible. I am delighted to let you know that there will be a webinar to promote the petition on Tuesday, 5th November, 11.30am (ending no later than 12.30pm). I will be joined on a panel by Prof. Hannah Daly of UCC; Prof. John Sweeney of Maynooth University (emeritus); and Prof. Clare Kelly of TCD. Do please join if you can, and share the event as widely as possible. Registration link here:
https://dcu-ie.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMsdu-pqDIoH9dCIArQGFClx_kF08-l0LOA

Thanks - Barry McMullin (DCU)

Dear friends of the #GE2024ClimatePetition -

A huge thank you for signing - it is very much appreciated. The petition has already attracted over 430 signatures - which is amazing for a ground up "citizen initiative" with no formal organisation behind it. However: this is likely not yet enough to really make an impact. It would be wonderful to get to 500 - or even 1000! - supporters. If you have already passed the petition on in your own networks - many thanks! But if you can think of any additional avenues to promote or publicise it, now is the time! If it helps (e.g. in casual conversation) we also have a short(ish) website name that you can quote:

http://ge2024.postcarbonireland.org

Thanks again - Barry McMullin (twitter: @autofac or mastodon: @[email protected])