Friends of the Earth keeping Climate Change on the agenda

panel discussion with mike childsFriends of the Earth were involved in a day of lobbying and awareness raising on climate change in June. A senior campaigner from Friends of the Earth in London came over to talk about the importance of climate legislation.

Mike Childs is Head of Campaigns in Friends of the Earth, in England Wales and Northern Ireland where they sucessfully campaigned for a strong climate law. He is also Chair of Friends of the Earth Europe, who are campaigning for annual cuts in carbon emission across Europe.

Mike made a presentation to the Dail committee on climate and energy security in the afternoon about climate legislation and what should or shouldn't be contained in it. The committee also heard from Liz mc Kenzie from the British embassy, who spoke about the important role that the British Government sees climate legislation playing at the crucial Copenhagen summit in December.

After speaking to the committe Liz and Mike took part in a panel discussion organised by Freinds of the Earth in Conjunction with the Labour Party.

Mike and Liz again spoke about the clear need for climate legislation and they were joined on the panel by Liz Mc Manus, Labour spokesperson on Energy. The panel discussion was chaired by Oisin Coghlan director of Friends of the Earth and was opened by Eamon Gilmore, Leader of the Labour party.

Friends of the Earth has been campaigning for a climate law for three years and it is expected to be one of the key things that the Greens will look for in a renegotiation of the Program for Government.

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