Climate strike to take place on Opera Lane
A climate strike is planned to take place at Opera Lane at 1pm on Saturday 18th June. This ‘die-in’ protest, staged by Extinction Rebellion, is a protest against the climate action plan in the programme for government endorsed by various political parties. The government's climate action plan is part of A Green New Deal outlined in the programme for government. The deal commits to an average decrease of 7% per annum in greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030 with a view to attaining net-zero emissions by the year 2050. Organizers of the protest believe that there is scope for a more comprehensive climate action plan to deliver a systematic change in how Ireland will deal with climate action in the future. While not aiming to propose an alternative government, this protest wants to communicate directly with people that transformative thinking is needed to tackle the national approach to climate change. To show people that there is a belief that there are other pathways to engage with climate change policy on a national scale.“What we need is a transformation of what is politically possible, in order to achieve genuine transformative change. This task is not likely to be carried out by political parties. It can only be carried out by a genuine, grassroots, mass movement. A rebellion for meaningful lives lived in harmony and balance with the natural world. That is what Extinction Rebellion has always stood for and that is what we will continue to stand for, regardless of whether the government of the day adopts the language of environmentalism.” said Mark O’Leary, one of the organizers of the event.Climate strikes have taken place around the globe due to the increased awareness about the impact of climate change. The climate strike in September last year drew crowds to Cork City centre and to many cities around the world to march on behalf of the climate. However, due to the current circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, protests have had to be re-imagined and re-configured to adopt current health regulations. Protesters will be wearing masks and observing a social distance of two metres during this protest to maintain minimal interaction between participants.