The Climate Alarm Clock The Climate Alarm Clock

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It's Earth Week but that didn't stop Scotland backtracking on its ambitious climate targets. And Unilever, one of the largest users of plastic packaging in the world, decided to reduce its plastic reduction targets too. We talk about what's going on with the growing corporate and political backlash against climate action. Pragmatic or just delaying?
Meanwhile in Ireland, a new poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth finds no sign of climate backlash in Irish public opinion. We take a look at some of the more interesting findings.
We find some good news coming from California too!
And as always, we have some actions to suggest:
Not Here Not Anywhere is launching its local elections climate pledge, encouraging candidates to be climate leaders, not climate culprits!  The official launch is on Weds May 1st outside Dail Eireann at 1pm, all welcome if you can make it. If not, check out their website for ideas on how to contact your local candidates and what to ask them to do.
Add your name to the urgent petition calling for a strong Global Plastics Treaty.
Finally... go for a walk! Listen to the birds and enjoy Spring! But not before listening to Elaine McGoff's lovely Earth Day reflections.

G'wan you can buy us a coffee if you want!
The gang are back together! Darragh, Ciara and Anna look at what's been happening since we took a break in December.
(There's a hint in the episode title)
We reflect on how much worse the situation in Gaza is now and how that links back to climate justice.
Global average temperatures continue to break records and food production is being badly affected by rain here in Ireland and drought in other countries. Ciara has been working with food producers who are on the frontlines and struggling.
And a new research study provides shocking estimates of the cost of climate damage. A CONSERVATIVE estimate is that climate damage will cost $38 trillion every year! Much cheaper to start mitigating and reduce emissions now.
In a good news story, the Swiss klimatsenioren won a landmark case in the European Court of Human Rights which opens the door to other countries being held accountable for protecting their citizens with climate action.
What can we do? (apart from suing the government!). Some actions we suggest this week:
Join Talamh Beo to work for fairer food systems. Plant some seedlings while you're at it.
Come along to Friends of the Earth education day on global justice in Richmond Barracks, Dublin 8 on Saturday 27th April
Check out the Long Time Project for intergenerational thinking
Organise a Street Feast (your neighbours will love you for it).
Support Médicins Sans Frontières with this amazing song from Roisin el Cherif!

Season Finale! A big thanks to all our listeners and wishing you all a happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas season and new year -- see you in 2024!
Cop28 finished with a standing ovation, but what was really achieved? Ciara, Darragh and Anna take a look at reactions to fossil fuels being mentioned in a COP agreement for the first time. Darragh dusts off his analogies and even Ciara tries a sporting analogy (we're not sure what sport though).
Here in Ireland, the Dail passed a motion calling on Ireland to support the Fossil Fuels Non Proliferation treaty (nepotism alert here, the motion was sponsored by Thomas Pringle, TD).
And as always, we finish off with some festive actions:
Join a rally for Palestine happening around the country this Saturday (and other days too), details on the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign website.
Ciara recommends abandoning the tat and gifting people wholesome experiences this Christmas. She's offering a walk in the woods with herself.

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Ciara, Darragh and Anna are delighted to welcome Eoin Galavan back to do our news roundup with us.
Eoin Galavan is a clinical psychologist and one of the founding members of the Psychological Society of Ireland’s Environmental and Climate special interest group. Eoin did a couple of special episodes with us over the summer that were hugely popular, helping us unpick climate anxiety and the psychology of how we deal with climate change (links below).
This week it's all about COP28 kicking off in Dubai. What can we expect from the annual gathering of the countries of the world? What will the global stocktake tell us and will there be progress on phasing out fossil fuels? (and why is a Fossil Fuel CEO the president??).
We also look at how petrostates are planning to flood the world with more oil and what might happen with food shortages.
Actions for this week:
Join an Emergency Protest for Palestine Around Ireland – Saturday 1st december  
Dublin – March & Rally, 1pm, Assemble @ Garden of Remembrance – March to the DáilEnnis – 11am, O’Connell SquareCork – 1pm, Grand ParadeLimerick – 1pm, Bedford Row
Tuesday 5th December online, listen to Eoin's lecture on why we are stuck at the Psychological Society of Ireland lecture series
Listen back to our earlier episodes with Eoin: Why are we stuck? and Is Now a Good Time to Freak Out?
Next Saturday 9th December
#NowWeRise – Get out and support the COP 28 Global Day of Action (a march from the Docklands Bord Gáis Energy Theatre to the GPO); organised by Climate Justice Coalition

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https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-appeal-for-gaza
Ciara, Darragh and Anna are joined by another special guest this week. Comedian and actor Tadhg Hickey (and self-proclaimed Cork morale booster) is famous for his hard-hitting satirical sketches and stand-up comedy. Tadhg’s new memoir: A PORTRAIT OF THE PISS ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN has just been released to critical acclaim. He’s been particularly vocal on Gaza and Palestine and in 2021 raised €30,000 to help refugees there.  Tadhg arrived at climate issues through his long-time focus on colonialism and is passionate about climate justice.
Tadhg joins us to take a look at some of this week's headlines.
A new Loss and Damage Deal: Climate Justice is on the agenda at COPGreta Thunberg ruffles some feathers by insisting there's no climate justice on occupied lands And here in Ireland a new Friends of the Earth poll is a ‘temperature check’ on Irish public opinion about climate - we look at the fascinating and sometimes contradictory findings.
Actions for this week:
Get to a rally in support of justice in Palestine, lots happening around the country this weekend, details at https://www.ipsc.ie/
Dublin – NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION – March and Rally – 1pm, Garden of Remembrance – Look
Belfast – March and Rally, 1pm, Writers’ Square
Cork – March and Rally, 1pm, Grand Parade
If you can, DONATE to Tadhg's fundraiser for Gaza: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-appeal-for-gaza
Check out this online event: Unite For Climate Solutions - A women led summit on nov 21st

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Or instead of buying the podcast a coffee this week, consider donating to support Palestinians under siege in Gaza: Oxfam , Medicins Sans Frontières and other charities are working hard to help.
Although 70% of Irish people are worried about climate change, many struggle to talk about it which is why here at The Climate Alarm Clock, we're inviting some guests along to the pod! People who aren’t necessarily known for talking about climate change in an effort to expand the conversation, and first up is the fantastic Andrea Horan!
Andrea is co-founder of Tropical Popical, the culture campaigner behind the No More Hotels movement and involved in the Repeal the Eighth campaign, as well as host on the @UnitedIrelandPodcast and Don’t Stop Repealin’ podcasts.
We chatted with Andrea about the recent floods in Ireland with Newry, Wexford, Louth under water this week.
We also cover why Teagasc recently got themselves into some hot water over their support for the Dublin Declaration!
Actions for this week:
Feed your bellies and your minds at Cornucopia's Dinner For Climate Friday November 3rd.
Hear Dr John Barry discuss how focusing on the potential of art, imagination and creativity can help us understand and respond in positive ways to the climate crisis, Belfast 12th of November.
Back in Dublin our pal Colm O’Regan, author of Climate Worrier: A Hypocrite’s Guide to Saving the Planet will join Oisín McGann, author of A Short, Hopeful Guide to Climate Change (Little Island), and Sinéad Moriarty, author of Finding Hope (Gill Books) to discuss the many topical themes to today’s climate debate contained within their writing. November 12th.