Paul Murphy condemns Greens' climate failure after Lutzerath arrests
Paul Murphy criticised the government's climate policy, citing the demolition of Lutzerath in Germany and the arrest of Greta Thunberg as evidence of failure. He argued the Greens' participation in government has failed to deliver meaningful action and called for system change and eco-socialist alternatives.
Lutzerath protests and police brutality
Paul Murphy described the decision to demolish Lutzerath to make room for a coal mine and the almost 50,000-strong protests that followed. He said protesters were met with "incredible brutality" by the German police and noted that Greta Thunberg was arrested during the demonstrations.
Assessment of the government's plan
He argued that the plan under discussion is less dramatic than police actions in Germany but equally indicative of failure, saying it "in its own quiet way blows that out of the water." Murphy compared the government's response to advising a bleeding patient to use tea tree oil, arguing the scale of the crisis far outstrips the policy response.
EPA findings on emissions
Murphy cited the latest EPA report, stating that up to quarter two of 2022 Ireland's emissions grew once again and that Ireland is the biggest emitter per capita in the EU. He said emissions are on track to exceed the combined 10-year carbon budget by 23% to 26%, calling this a "brazen" and complete failure.
Call for systemic and eco-socialist change
He blamed the failure on government deference to big business decisions in agribusiness, data centres and private energy, and criticised reliance on market solutions and future technologies. Murphy called for a break with what he called the "ecocidal capitalist system" and for eco-socialist policies that prioritise people's interests and the planet.
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There are incredible scenes emerging from Germany over the past number of weeks where the German government has taken the decision to destroy, demolish a village called Lutzerath in order to make room for a coal mine and it has been met by brave resistance. Almost 50,000 protesters turned up to resist who in turn were subjected to incredible brutality by the German police. Yesterday Greta Thunberg indeed was arrested. And what we are seeing in the town of Lutzerath and the brutality of the police against the climate protesters with the Greens in government in Germany is a very dramatic illustration of the failure of the government. the failure of the Greens in terms of really dealing with climate catastrophe. This plan is less dramatic, less clear to people, less brutal than the police, but its failure, an indication of the failure of the Greens in this country, is no less profound. Because if the justification for the Greens' participation in government with Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael was action on climate change, this plan in its own quiet way blows that out of the water. Because you compare, as we always have to do, the scale of the crisis versus the response, and it is the equivalent of advising a patient who is bleeding to death from a gaping wound to use some tea tree oil on it. The failure is not an accident. It is built into this government's management and commitment to the capitalist system to allow the big business decisions in terms of agribusiness, in terms of data centres, in terms of private energy to take priority over the needs of ordinary people and the need to avoid climate catastrophe. The only things that you have there is wishful thinking in terms of the market delivering and wishful thinking in terms of future tech coming down the line. The latest EPA report confirms that, up to quarter two of 2022, Ireland's emissions grew once again, making it the biggest emitter per capita in the EU. In total, Ireland's emissions are on track to exceed the combined 10-year carbon budget by 23% to 26%. It is an absolutely brazen, absolutely clear, complete failure in every single aspect. And the reason for it is because you always are putting the interests of big business first. To actually stop climate change, an absolute catastrophe, we need system change, a break with the ecocidal capitalist system, and eco-socialist change that puts people's interests and our planet first. The end. I'll hear your review on the regular basis.
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