Clare O'Connor

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📆Today is the EU deadline for Social Climate Plans.
In Ireland:
❌ No plan published
❌ No public consultation
These plans are needed to access EU funding to help with heating & transport costs, especially for lower-income households.

Power shortages mean we’ll have to choose between new homes and data centres, top official warns Power shortages mean the country will have to choose between artificial intelligence (AI) and housing, a senior government official has warned.

It's the dilemma that won't go away - data centres eating up so much power there may be nothing left for new homes.
But while the Government tries to assure it's all in hand, remarks by the sec gen of the Department of Energy suggest otherwise
www.independent.ie/irish-news/p...

plot comparing global surface temperature observations ("Berkeley Earth" project--red) with IPCC ("CMIP6") climate model simulations (black is average over all models; blue shading shows spread among models)

Here's the latest comparison of global surface temperature observations (red) with IPCC climate model simulations (through March 2025, via @hausfath.bsky.social):

“The phrase “theory of change” has become popular in recent years, as in “what’s your theory of change?” Mine is that categories are leaky and anomalies abound. That change happens in complex, sometimes unpredictable ways, that it often unfolds with slow and indirect consequences, and that what ends up in the centres of power often begins in the margins and shadows. That stories have profound power and changing the story is often the beginning of changing the world.” Rebecca Solnit

Love this from Rebecca Solnit in The Guardian today on how deep social change is non-linear, and takes faith and creative persistence and eyes to see.

Retrofitting Ireland’s homes will require tailor-made tools for the rental sector Around 30% of people in Ireland now live in a home they do not own. Any solution towards renovating the rental sector must ensure that strong social safeguards are in place to shield tenants from high...

@clareoconnor.bsky.social, our Programme Coordinator-Heat, has co-authored an article in the @irishexaminer.bsky.social on this issue. You can read it here⬇️

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

We welcome the move to tackle cold, damp rentals with BER Standards Bill. A poorly insulated home is like a leaky sieve and renters are throwing money away to keep their homes warm.

Our press release: www.friendsoftheearth.ie/news/friends...

Government stalls on pledge to introduce minimum BER standards for rental properties from this year The Government is stalling on a commitment to introduce minimum BER ratings for landlords despite rental properties being among the least energy efficient in the country.

Housing For All commits to introducing minimum BERs for rental properties but Govt looks to have gone cold on the plan. @caneurope.org & @foeireland.bsky.social have ideas for what needs to happen.
www.independent.ie/irish-news/g...

Greens criticise Government shelving of BER ratings for private rental sector | Green Party Greens criticise Government shelving of BER ratings for private rental sector

The Government is stalling on minimum BER ratings for private rental properties - leaving more families in fuel poverty and letting the rental sector off the hook.

We’re calling on Government to keep the plan and support landlords to retrofit.

greenparty.ie/news/greens-...

We have fantastic speakers lined up for our upcoming webinar on "Shaping a Fair and Effective Social Climate Plan for Ireland"🗣️

Last chance to register ➡️: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The share of renewables* in energy for heating and cooling reached 26% across the EU in 2023. Ireland ranks the lowest, at 7.9%.

*heat pumps, biomass, renewable waste heat etc.

YouTube video by Friends of the Earth Ireland Lego comparison of data centre energy use - Clare Byrne Live RTE

Data centres use lots of energy as demonstrated here by Dr Paul Deane using Lego.
Learn more about our data centre campaign here
👉https://www.friendsoftheearth.ie/data-centres/

youtu.be/lkpuG549YZA

Full report: Data centres in the context of Ireland's carbon budgets

www.friendsoftheearth.ie/assets/files...

Party manifestos leave renters — 20% of households — out of energy efficiency schemes Election 2024 presents a critical opportunity for the next government to address energy poverty while ensuring a fair transition away from fossil fuels, writes Clare O'Connor

my op-ed on climate action and renters in today's examiner:

www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...