BOLD Climate Action

For the past 100 years, fossil fuel companies have been among the richest on Earth. Oil and gas companies are now making super-profits due to the war in Ukraine, and they are contributing to the cost-of-living crisis. They have polluted nature and the air we breathe. Their products cause dangerous heating of the Earth’s atmosphere. Fossil fuel companies also sow doubt about climate science.

Carbon emissions, home insulation, public transport

We’re frustrated that the actions of fossil fuel companies and their supporters have led to long delays in proper climate action by the Irish government. Ireland must now put concrete and detailed plans for urgently reducing carbon emissions.

BOLD Climate Action members are also concerned that fuel poverty seriously impacts older people, who are likely to live in older homes with the lowest Building Energy ratings. Older people are one of the groups least able to afford proper insulation and home retrofitting. Government retrofitting schemes must urgently become proactive and targetted at older people and others facing the worst energy poverty.

Excellent public transport across the country is also vital to reducing climate pollution. We really appreciate our Free Travel Passes. We want them to be extended to everybody in Ireland – along with more frequent and reliable public transport and other measures to reduce carbon emissions from transport.

Not too late

We’re not going to throw up our hands in despair at the climate crisis. We know older people in Ireland are very concerned about the climate and young people’s futures. For example, we’re reaching out to members of older people’s organisations, faith groups and retired trade union members.

We’re planning climate education with older people, including climate justice and just transition. We will focus on the primary role of government action. We hope to strengthen older people’s skills and confidence in political participation. We already know older people have high rates of voting. We say, ‘Ignore us at your peril.’

Older people have survived tough times in Ireland. We’ve also helped create huge changes in society. We know major political change on climate action is possible. BOLD Climate Action is determined to make a difference – focused at first on debates around the coming elections.

We welcome participation by interested older people (by older, we mean 60 and over.) We’d love your organisation to invite us to speak and affiliate with our campaign. We thank Friends of the Earth Ireland for supporting us in this work. For more information, contact: bold.climate.action@gmail.com