THERE MUST BE change..
Climate activists march in global call for action
CLIMATE change protesters brought traffic to a standstill yesterday as they took a stand on environmental issues.
Hundreds of activists gathered at the GPO in Dublin to take part in the event, organised by Extinction Rebellion Ireland, before slowly marching to O’connell Bridge.
The group is part of a global movement to combat climate change and is calling on governments around the world to take action.
Climate change protests also took place in London and Paris yesterday.
Benny Taaffe, a carpenter and business owner, attended the Dublin protest with his wife Louise and their three children.
He told the Irish Mirror: “Lads, as a nation we just need to wake up.
“Leo’s [Varadkar] soundbites are just not cutting it.
“He’ll be long dead and gone when my grandchildren are dealing with the results of our inaction.
“We have to get rid of this idea of consumption, that GDP is connected to growth.
“We have to manage the resources we have intelligently. We have to learn to live within our carbon means.
“What I’d like people to get from this is, look, we’re not all dirty hippies. I’ve my family of six up here.
“I run my own business employ five people full time.
“We are all going to be affected by this in the long run so why don’t we stand up now.”
Climate activist Tracie Vance, 57, from Dublin, was marching to draw attention to the “climate crisis” and protect the future for her children and grandchildren. She said: “We’ve had so much ink and talk about Brexit over the past few years but this is a thousand times worse than anything Brexit can bring.
“We don’t have the kind of numbers and resources that they have in London but I think it’s a good start and there are a lot of and
YESTERDAY
people here who are not going away. We need to get switched on to this issue so that is what we are asking today is for people to take a look and start to really think about this.”
Maynooth University student Aran Smeallie, 22, has been involved in climate change activism “for years” and spoke of how proud he was of the “first real [climate change] march in Dublin”.
The software engineering undergrad said: “It is the Dail we need to break through to. We need the TDS to act on this. We need them to act on this soon. We need them to pick up the pace.”
John Walsh, 71, a retired electronic engineer who travelled to Dublin from Cork, attended the march for all the young people who will have to live through the effects of climate change.
He said: “I’ve got 10 to 20 years left at the most. I’m here for the young people.
“I think today is going good. We have a good crowd of people to block the traffic and maybe make some people pay attention.”
We’re all going to be affected, so why don’t we stand up now
BENNY TAAFFE
DUBLIN