Climate change protesters have taken to Fine Gael headquarters in Dublin to protest, what they claim, is 'greenwashing' by the party.
Extinction Rebellion says this relates to "expressions of environmentalist concerns especially as a cover for products, policies, or activities", as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Activists greenwashed the area in front of the building on Mount Street in Dublin city.
Holding a banner, they chanted slogans such as 'Stop greenwashing' and 'Listen Leo, listen - 10 years left'.
This is to highlight what they say is the party's "poor record on environmental issues."
Clad in protective clothing, activists sprayed green dye at the entrance of the Georgian building.
The protesters then cleaned up the mess, power-washing the water-based dye away.
They say they did this "unlike the present Government."
Extinction Rebellion says it does not endorse any political party.
Protest continuing outside @FineGael HQ pic.twitter.com/Q5XndaWMBN
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) February 3, 2020
But adds: "Fine Gael has been the main policymaker in the Dáil since 2011.
"While all parties have spaces in their platforms regarding their approach to emissions reductions and the climate crisis in general, there is only one party whose real actions on climate (or lack thereof) can be scrutinised.
"An overview of Government policy and action in recent years clearly demonstrates that Fine Gael have been by prioritising empty statements over measurable action, thereby meeting the definition of greenwashing.
"The best way to mitigate against catastrophic temperature rise is to decrease the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. According to the UN, global carbon emissions must be reduced by a minimum 7.6% year-on-year over the next decade.
"However, Fine Gael's new Climate Action Plan, published in December, commits to only a national decrease of 2% annually."
It adds that while Ireland divested from fossil fuel investment in 2018, becoming the first country to do so, Fine Gael "is still set to import fracked shale gas at the proposed LNG terminal in Shannon."
One of their demands is the need for a 'just transition.'
The group says: "Any government that wishes to represent the people of Ireland has to acknowledge that agriculture represents the largest chunk of Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions, at over 30% of the total.
"However, agriculture remains one of the few sources of employment in some areas, and is a huge part of the culture of rural Ireland.
"Farmers groups have recently protested the government's lack of support for their industry and the decline of rural Ireland in general."
A speech is now being made outside @FineGael by this member of Extinction Rebellion, attacking the party’s actions on climate change pic.twitter.com/6rs3WDwcg0
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) February 3, 2020
As part of its manifesto, Fine Gael has pledged to place climate mitigation "at the centre of the successor strategy to Food Wise 2025, ensuring that we remain ambitious for the agri-food sector."
The party says it "fully support[s]" the ambition of the current CAP proposals to direct 40% of funds towards climate and environmental objectives.
It adds: "We will implement our roadmap for the agri-food sector, working with farmers and industry to deliver on the 34 actions in the agriculture agri-food sector outlined in the Government's Climate Action Plan 2019 to tackle climate breakdown."
The party manifesto notes: "We will implement in full our Climate Action Plan, which will be updated annually and monitored quarterly.
"We will increase public transport services, take decisive steps to encourage more walking and cycling and continue to 'green' our agricultural sector.
"We will also protect farmers and implement the planning reforms -set out in Project Ireland 2040 - needed to prevent further urban sprawl."
The party says: "By 2030, we will deliver a fourfold increase in the number of renewables connected to the grid.
"But, we will also massively increase retrofitting activity, electric vehicle (EV) uptake, the use of public transport, walking and cycling, while also planting 8,000 hectares of new forestry every year."
It has also committed to ring-fence €6bn of carbon tax revenue for climate action, just transition and reducing energy poverty.
Climate change protesters have taken to Fine Gael headquarters in Dublin to protest, what they claim, is 'greenwashing' by the party #GE2020 #VoiceOfTheVoter | @ShaneBeattyNews https://t.co/Ud0l8hPynE pic.twitter.com/JC7738lYnW
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) February 3, 2020
