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LAST UPDATE | 20 Sep 2023
ENVIRONMENT MINISTER EAMON RYAN has said the UK risks “serious reputational damage” over Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s watering down of climate actions.
The UK is set to soften policies aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and instead pursue a “pragmatic” approach to hitting the target, Sunak said this afternoon.
“We can adopt a more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to meeting net zero,” Sunak told a news conference, saying a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars would be pushed back from 2030 to 2035.
That would bring it in line with countries such as France and Germany, he said.
Sunak also announced an easing of energy efficiency targets for rental properties and backtracked on plans to make homeowners replace gas boilers with heat pumps.
In Ireland the sale of new petrol or diesel cars is due to be banned in 2030.
Speaking to reporters in New York at the United Nations Building, where one climate change is one of the key topics of discussion this week, Ryan said he would “worry for the British people”.
The UK has one of the proudest records in climate diplomacy and climate action, he said, adding that they’ve significantly reduced their emissions in the last 10 to 15 years.
“It is worrying, I would worry for the British people, the British government and people if they leave that track. Now they’re starting to be seen as a country which is not leading in climate, that’s not good for their people, it’s not good for their economy, it’s not good for their reputation. There are real risks,” he added.
“I think the British people actually don’t want to take that action,” said the minister, stating that it is time to be ambitious and bold.
“It’s not time to retreat and go back to a fossil fuel approach… we have to move on from the use of those fuels. And I think the British government, if it doesn’t keep up its proud records, it risks really serious reputational, as well as economic damage,” he said.
When asked if he thought Sunak’s non-attendance at the UN General Assembly this week was a snub, Ryan said:
“The room I was in, President Macron was there, Chancellor Schultz was there, Ursula von der Leyen was there, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was there. If I was Rishi Sunak I’d be here too,” concluded the minister.
Stressing that “no one can doubt” the reality of climate change, Sunak said he was a firm believer both in net zero and the UK’s ability to achieve it.
But he added that “too often motivated by short-term thinking, politicians have taken the easy way out, telling people the bits they want to hear, and not necessarily always the bits they need to hear.
“We haven’t had an honest conversation about these issues in a long time. It’s not enough to just announce these targets – great headlines in the short term – to will this thing to happen. That’s not right,” he said.
The prime minister said in his speech that the UK is “so far ahead of every other country in the world” on tackling climate change.
He added: “How can it be right that British citizens are now being told to sacrifice even more than others? Because the risk here for those of us who care about reaching net zero, as I do, is simple.
“If we continue down this path, we risk losing the consent of the British people.”
Sunak continued: “That’s why we have to do things differently. We need sensible green leadership.
“It won’t be easy and it will require a wholly new kind of politics. A politics that is transparent and the space for a better, more honest debate about how we secure the country’s long-term interests.”
Sunak’s announcement comes on the same day world leaders have gathered for discussions on preventing future pandemics and tackling the climate crisis at the UN General Assembly in New York and Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ Climate Ambition Summit.
Critics have condemned Sunak for his absence at the summit, warning that the UK is throwing away its reputation as a world leader on climate change.
Sunak’s speech also overshadowed Environment Secretary Therese Coffey’s announcement that the UK would sign the UN Ocean Treaty in New York.
Lissa Batey, head of marine conservation at The Wildlife Trusts, said: “It is shocking that the UK Government appears happy to sign up to international agreements one minute, and completely undermine them the next.
“While we welcome the signing of the UN High Seas Treaty – which is crucial to achieve the UK’s pledge to protect 30% of seas by 2030 – we are concerned that today’s climate announcements put this commitment at risk.
“Despite signing the treaty, the UK risks being left adrift if we delay or weaken ambitions to meet existing net-zero targets. The UK Government must stay on course and live up to its commitments.”
Shaun Spiers, executive director at Green Alliance, said: “Global leaders are meeting for a climate ambition summit at the United Nations today – and Rishi Sunak’s not on the list.
“Our legally binding commitment to reach net zero by 2050 ought to have earned us a place with the “early movers” showing the world how it’s done today.”
Spiers said the UK has not “matched ambition with concrete action”.
“The Prime Minister claims Britain is leading the world on climate change,” he said.
“The truth is that, by sacrificing climate policies for short-term political gains, we’re throwing away hard-won progress on the climate and with it our international reputation on this issue.”
With reporting by Political Correspondent Christina Finn in New York
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Why?
@Niall Conran: its that cause all the vulture hedge funds in dublin want to rent gouge all the tourists coming here and ripp them off with our housing crisis :D
@Niall Conran: “come to visit, corporation you work for is already here!” slogan
@Niall Conran: because the sheer concentration of wealth in a place with so many heroin addicts has to be seen to be believed
@Niall Conran: Because despite all the anti Dublin hatred, and all the under investment by national govt.
in this third world little country Dubliners are still generally a decent bunch of people
@Alfred Pennyworth: A tale of two cities. berties legacy of putting a genration on the dole to import cheap labour.
Dublin is a lovely city the people are lovely and friendly
@john: you think?
@john: kip
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.And it’s not even April! Kip.
@Kieran Conroy: it may be a kip but it’s our kip and we love it, and apparently he rest if the world love it too. Surprised Ballygobackwards or where ever you’re from didn’t get the nod.
@Gnik: a typical Dublin shitehawk comment
@Stiofán Ó Cearnaigh: typical anti dublin shitehawk comment
@Warren Mcdermott: they’re just proving their from Nocity as the terms shitehawk is from the 80’s
@Gnik: Kieran lives in the UK and just likes to troll.
@Deborah Behan: Irish born & bred Deb.Allowed my opinion! Over and back 5-6 times a year.West Cork and Connemara my favourites.Cheers!
@Kieran Conroy: It’s the best kip in this third world dump of a so called country.
@Michael Fehily:
Ireland is a third world country? Give over, lad. A bit of perspective would be in good taste, there.
Your world would crumble I’d say even in a second world country. You don’t know the half of it.
And no, the inevitable “but the homeless!” comment still doesn’t detract. This is a first world country. And the fact that your online on a Monday evening having a rattler about it shows you’re almost certainly in a comfortable enough position in it.
@Stubear Deadlybuzz: Enjoy your little rant. It’s a backward third world little kip on the edge of Europe.
Ireland isn’t a real country in the sense of being a “Nation” , like France or Germany. It’s a divided little territory where it’s people argue amongst themselves.
What country that calls itself a country would not invest in its own capital city. This capital city pays hundreds of millions in property tax which is diverted to smaller regional little councils around this little country to keep them going. What a backward little dump..
@Michael Fehily:
Sounds like you’ve been on the lash since about 2 in the afternoon and have a potentially understandable chip on your shoulder about a singular economic issue. That doesn’t mean Ireland isn’t a first world country, which it is by any valid metric.
@Michael Fehily:
The rest of us outside Dublin aren’t like… Ireland’s dole, by the way. We have roads and shops and cinemas and stuff. Do a bit of travelling, some time. You’ll see that Ireland is definitely, Jesus, ‘a nation’.
@Stubear Deadlybuzz: I have travelled and lived in other countries and other cities. That’s how I know this is a third world little outpost whose people are convinced they’re living I’m the most advanced country in the world. Ireland wasn’t in the running for the RWC because it’s too underdeveloped. Transport was a key issue, third world, and security because of the lack of police resources, third world.
Dublin has actually done it’s best to support itself and has some lovely districts which of course you and your rural folk wouldn’t know about as I’m certain you think Dublin is Henry st and O’Connell st. Dublin has some beautiful parks and a beautiful coastline which the Dublin hating brigade would know nothing about. Ignorant idiots. This city is actually doing well despite the parochial plonkers who run this is useless little country.
@Gnik: and where are your parents from..and the horse they rode in on?
@Michael Fehily:
Rural folk? I live in the middle of Cork City. It’s not Manhattan or anything, but it’s hardly the sticks.
I love Dublin, by the way. Seems like you just have a warped chip on your shoulder.
Again, Ireland is not a third world country. You know it’s not.
@Michael Fehily: sad you feel like that, you should get out more…or emigrate!
It’s definitely lively and has a good atmosphere around the place especially this time of year.. But from an architectural point of view, some parts are quite dull and depressing.. No character like other modern city’s.. Not saying I want to copy others.. Just like to see bigger buildings and a good aesthetic look to the place in certain areas.. And please stop painting the ha’penny bridge white.. Looks so cheap and tacky.. And do something about liberty hall.. Absolute state of it
@Acedeuce: The Halpenny Bridge is over 200 years old and was originally white. They should also paint the redbrick buildings a different colour perhaps?
@Carpentoza: 200 years ago it looked tacky and cheap then
@Carpentoza:
Paint the red brick building a different colour? Are u mad? Plenty of colourful houses and also ones with some nice cladding in the housing estates of west Dublin if that is to your fancy.
@Nick Allen: think u missed sarcasm there. Or at least I hope so !
@Acedeuce: I felt the same way in Dublin, maybe we just came at a wrong time. I couldn’t take much photos because there are construction all over. I took a quick tour bus of the city and most streets are under construction. Outside the city though was breathtaking.
@Acedeuce: well it was cheap .. only cost 0.5p …
Dublin’s friendly village vibe?! Wow, maybe its a typo, that or they’ve never been on the Luas or is it Dublin in Texas? Something’s wrong, something’s amiss here!
@The Dons: That is a perfect description, it is like a huge village, Edinburgh for me has a similar vibe really friendly people etc. If you have travelled around Europe you will understand this. If you are making comments about welfare dependents and drug addicts then you need to broaden your world view and your mind.
@The Dons: Dublin can be beautiful but unfortunately the hordes of zombies ruin it
@Carpentoza: sorry but you cant put Dublin in the same sentence as Edinburgh… If you want a similar vibe to Edinburgh, Galway and Cork fit the bill, not the rat race. And if you want culture, great vibe, history and sights then Lisbon is my number 1 in Europe.
@The Dons: ha! I have never ever heard anyone advise a tourist to visit Cork City, it is grim. Pick pocketing and open drug selling in Lisbon is the vibe.
@Carpentoza: ha never heard anyone advising to go to cork???? What rock are you under? Cork, Cobh, Blarney, Kinsale, Clon, Schull, entire west cork and even Midleton distilling Dublin whiskey! You actually serious or just never left Tallaght? As open drug dealing goes, check out Heuston, the boardwalk, Connolly and Sheriff street, the Luas and O’Connell street, actually scratch that, just check out Dublin! A heroin addicts Mecca!
@The Dons: I said Cork City but then you already know that. Personal insults are the end of debate and juvenile.
@Carpentoza: What personal insults? And thats your actually argument?! Ah shur, good night says Dan!
@Negativebird: hoards of zombies run it also.
I’m waiting for all the negativity about Dublin
Cue the usual begrudging self hate about how awful our country is, heaven forbid ourselves or others viewed any aspect of our country in a positive light……
@Ian McNally: Being realistic is not being a begrudger.Dublin is plain ugly when compared with most European capitals.Fact.
@Kieran Conroy: Tourists seem to think otherwise. And that’s an opinion, not a fact.
@Kieran Conroy: The reality is it has been voted top 10 as the best trips 2018. The reason for this is mentioned in the article “Feel at home in ‘Europe’s largest village’”. It might be ugly, but that is not why it was selected. You ignore this reason, and discuss its aesthetics instead. That is being a begrudger. fact
@WinSomeLoseSome: he lives in the UK! Fact!
@Deborah Behan: I’m certain there are many many Irish people living abroad who comment on here.Strange situation when one cannot give ones opinion just because they don’t live back home.I am as Irish as you Deb.Fact.Born & bred.I don’t need anyone’s permission to have an opinion.
@O Swetenham: Believe me most North American tourists are just shipped into Dublin without any research. Just following the tourist board default ‘be gorra’ tour of Ireland!
All the major European capitals were imperial cities at some point so that’s why they look so impressive. Dublin is the capital of the only country in Europe that wasn’t an imperial power
@Ian McNally: You ever get the feeling that the people voicing the loudest criticism have not gone any further than O’Connell Street?
Dublin is like a UN refugee centre. If you call that culture you can keep it! Truth is, we lost it about 20 years ago.
@Anthony Halpin: Besides an obvious tone of racism most people like diversity when traveling and many like it in their society too.
@Kal Ipers: Sorry, can you point out the tone of racism? Or is that the new ‘racism’, where you can’t figure out where it is meant to be so you drop in the word ‘tone’? I’m a realist. I don’t do fairytales.
Board Walk, Talbot St, Westmoreland St, Amiens St, Merchants Quay all the must see hot spots…………….
@DubKid: Do you ever travel abroad? You do know ALL cities have their problems, right? Why would Dublin be any different?
@Ian Walsh: Not many capital cities in western Europe have entire streets falling down. Don’t get me wrong I like Dublin, my mother was from there, it’s people are some of the nicest most welcoming in the world especially when compared to Paris or London etc.. However major parts of the city are crumbling around their ears. In my opinion it to do with the Irish version of conservation being to slap a protection order on a building so that nothing can be done without spending millions per unit and then just letting them crumble into rubble. Limerick has the same problem except that there it’s actually fixable. I read recently that 65-70 million would have every protected Regency/Georgian building there gutted and retro fitted to modern standards.
@Jason: Well you haven’t travelled much or didn’t look around. Every city has buildings boarded up and falling down with preservation orders on them. You would need to be blind to avoid them in Paris and London. Dublin is actually doing very well and addressed loads of buildings. Maybe you don’t remember Dublin in the 80s but it was truly falling down then.
That was deliberate policy once to allow the symbols of British imperialism to crumble and fall. Then get the ESB to hire a blind architect and build a concrete block in place of real houses in fitzwilliam sq. Oh and the builder should be your brother in law.
Repeat city wide ad infinitum
@Kal Ipers: Not on the level of Dublin they don’t and certainly not within a stones throw of it’s main street…actually scratch that… O’Connell street itself is falling down in places. You’re not going to tell me Oxford St, The Champs Elysees or if you pick a smaller city La Rambla in Barcelona are in anyway near the state of repair as Dublin’s main street… The only other place in Western Europe I can think of that matches it is Myslym Shyri in Tirana…
@DubKid: hoards of zombies run it also.
@DubKid:LMAO.
Wow, to go from worst city’s for ex pat’s in Europe to one of the top destinations in the world in one week is good going.
These lists are getting tiresome. Ireland does seem to do quite well in them though, wasn’t there another in National Geographic that ranked Donegal the coolest place in the world to visit, beating huge countries like Vietnam and South Africa?
We may not have actual Leprechauns but many of our TDS are moral pygmies and behave like Leprechauns.
@Fiona deFreyne: are there not enough political articles to comment on? This is about tourism in dublin
@Dermot Lane: Like if it has nothing to do with politics?
@Fiona deFreyne: “many of our TDs are moral pygmies who behave like leprechauns”, your comment makes absolutely no sense and it has nothing to do with this piece! How I wish red thumbs still existed.
@Harry the Cat: I am trying sell our useless politicians a tourist curiosity. They hav to be good for something.
Our politicians jealously guard their pots of gold now called gold plated pensions and salaries.
@Harry the Cat:
Did you ever see the Friends episode when Joey discovers the thesaurus on a computer and tries to write an ‘intelligent’ letter but uses words completely out of context as he doesn’t actually understand what they mean. This reminds me of Fiona.
Something seriously wrong with judges. When you drive in from the port and down along the keys you are greeted by some bronze statues of starving people heading for the boat. Not exactly setting the tone on a positive note.
I think Dublin is completely overrated and one night is more than enough to stay.
Like when their trying to attract foreigners to come to work here, just don’t mention the accommodation crisis.
Straight up….anyone who’s been to Paris,London,Barcelona,Madrid,Vienna,Budapest..the list goes on and on,knows for a fact that Dublin is an ugly kip.The mighty Liffey is barely wider than a stream.Temple bar is an over-priced dump.There’s nothing to see here folks.Move on.
@Kieran Conroy: Been to all of these places and you must have missed the problems in these places. London is massively expensive and they try to charge for absolutely everything, complete rip off. Paris is filthy. Madrid is full of prostitutes who are about during the day and very obvious on main shopping streets. The list goes on. Dublin is a much nicer place to visit.
@Kieran Conroy: Yep..it seems strange that it even gets mentioned in the same list or even sentence as Vienna, Budapest etc etc. It’s not even in the same league as Damascus.
Fair it may be wet and cold at times. But we had wonderful country. I remember just off Cork St Dublin. I know it was there in the 90s think survived to the 00 an old drink mill from the 1800s all the original pubs that the country had our real villages dating way back lovely country lanes. The rest of the world destroyed and regretted it. We had huge amount up till the early 00s. People and tourists love this and not to forget our food produce so much more natural.
Yet we destroyed and if only it were better but it just a mess. Take Dublin it should of been left historical with independent business and the docklands the new city with international brands.
@: what do you mean ” a wonderful country”?
Dublin is’nt Ireland. Typical.
Just avoid the heroin zombies and fake beggers !
@John Judd: Go to Barecelona, Paris, London and you will see much worse. I don’t think I have ever seen somebody with a disability showing it off begging on the street here.
@Kal Ipers: Try the intersection of O’Connell Street and North Earl Street any afternoon of the week.
The hunchbacked ‘disabled’ Roma pensioner hobbling along, moaning in alleged pain, with her hand outstretched for money?
The first time I saw her I was appalled that this could be allowed to happen.
Then I started noticing her every day.
Some weeks after first noticing her, I saw that she finishes her shift on Henry Street when the shops shut, where she meets up with some Roma men who drive her home.
I feel like warning tourists that she is a scam artist.
I wonder why she isn’t arrested?
It’s such a sad reflection of the level of negativity that is in Irish culture reading all these vicious comments… What is wrong with you moaners and begrudgers? I can’t even begin to understand it… I really can’t. Ireland is an amazing little country, it takes the best care of the people that reside here. Our capital… Yes our capital whether your from there or from the country, it is a fantastic city… It is a great achievement to be on this list and something we should all be proud of. Our capital is a friendly city that tourists love to visit. It seperates itself from other big cities around the world mainly because of the Irish ‘nature’ if I can call it that… which is personal ‘cead mile failte’. This is the special positive of Ireland, what sets us apart, and it is something we should celebrate. Fostering a culture of support and positivity rather than begrudgery might do a whole lot to help people suffering from mental health issues in this country . It is a real growing issue and I think a huge part of it is the Irish psyche. It’s depressing me to read the belligerent and hurtful comments on here. There is junkies in every city in the world… There are social issues in every capital, Dublin has a lot less than most and there are people working everyday to help create change. The bridge may not be the exact colour you desire but that doesn’t change the character and charm of our beautiful capital. Take your horrible negative thoughts elsewhere or put your energy into something positive. It’s so pathetic to never be grateful for where you were born or live. We are incredibly lucky to be Irish, you might want to think about that. And thank you to all the great Irish people that put positive comments.
@Susan Maeve Keller: well said. I don’t ever understand why people are so spiteful of Dublin, veiled obvious jealousy for some weird reason. Like its their capital too.. bizarre, Oh well, tough, it doesn’t matter a bit what the haters say as the tourists have indeed had their say weather people like it or not. It’s very odd
Is that cause all the vulture hedge funds in dublin want to rent gouge all the tourists coming here and ripp them off with our housing crisis? :D
@Matthew O’Kane: Not sure about vulture found, but it is great business now for airbnb and similar initiatives in Dublin.
@cortisola: aye true airbnb has saved a few from being ripped off but it isnt a long term solution the homeless numbers are going up the people in emergency accommodation is going up thats tax payers money wasted on hotels and b&b that could have built affordable housing for people struggling, building affordable homes and regulating the housing sector so hedge fund arent sitting on empty properties is something that never features in these ‘must-see’ destinations in the world yet its core to our tourists getting ripped off our students, our citisens, our tax payers and fianna fail and fine geal landlords love it.
@Matthew O’Kane: the price of the drink in Ireland isnt the only part of rip off Ireland, Id caution any tourist coming here cause happy tourists come back ripped off ones stay away.
Does it specify what altitude it’s to be viewed from
So many bitter biddies. Standard.
@David Linehan: it’s gas David, I can only imagine that they get the gaa club bus up to Croker for a match once a year, it parks on Mountjoy Square and takes them home straight afterwards!
God help us
Ha ha ha Village. Culchies of Europe.
All the usual anti Dublin brigade. Sad idiots with no where to go. I really really wish Dublin would separate from this third world kip of a country who expect Dublin property tax to pay for the run dumps all over Ireland. If we broke free of this third world hole of a country, then maybe we could build the metro and Dart underground and some tall buildings without the country yahoos who have hijacked the DCC.
@Michael Fehily: Wow thats some serious deluded in yer own ego stuff right there! I think the biggest problem with jackeens is them actually think their city and themselves are better than everything else in Ireland, and thats where you’ll find yourself mistaken! Better at crime and murder rate?… maybe!
@The Dons: Exactly why Dublin should break from you parochial biggots, The anti Dublin brigade are worse than the Brits ever were.. Parochial Muppet..
@Michael Fehily: say the jackeens, with yer historical allegiance to the union jack! Apart from being as loud and obnoxious as the Brits in yer Dublin bubble please do get off yer high horse some time soon.
They need to get rid of butt bridge . It blocks out the custom house from the rest of the city . It’s one of our greatest pieces of architecture. It would be amazing to be able to see the custom house from OConnell bridge .
@Tommy Whelan: Custom house.GPO.Trinity college.All worth seeing.All British built.Not Irish.
@Kieran Conroy: You’ll find Irish people built them and Dublin Georgian design is different to other Georgian design. It is very ignorant of history to say what you said.
@Tommy Whelan: You mean the Loopline Bridge? Butt Bridge takes road traffic from Tara St to Beresford Place.
@Kal Ipers: All the mentioned buildings were designed by British architects.Beautiful buildings.Building them wasn’t the difficult bit.Beautiful Irish architecture? Liberty hall.FFS.
@Dave Bruen: How can people get mixed up with the bridges?!!! Dublin is bloody tiny! Or maybe it’s deliberate.You know,pretend it’s actually a proper city & you could actually get lost!! LOL!
@Kieran Conroy: Well having studied engineering building them is the difficult bit. It is Irish architecture because of where it is and the craftsmen who did the detailing. Limited riddiculious thinking to call them British
By who ?? Stevie wonder
Heard Stevie wonder is behind all this
Best country in the world. Wouldn t live any were else. Im a proud irish man 100%
Well, Madagascar is 11 on the list and they have an outbreak of The Plague right now. seriously, Black Death awaits you there. Dublin is by far the safer bet.
Dublin is a paradise on Earth, and the 9th Wonder of The World. Anyone who thinks otherwise is an absolute tool.
Just stay out of west Dublin the rest is grand
Dublin’s a fine welcoming city ‘cept for the traffic and noxious fumes particularly in the city centre.
For the tourists to view and hopefully take pics of (real ethnic Irish homeless) on the streets of our cities
If you asked a Thai person living and workin, very hard, why 25 million, on average, tourists visit Bangkok every year , they do not know, same as some on here about Dublin. It is kip, 10 million , including or excluding unregistered Lao, Cambodian, or Myanmar workers, no one knows. But there is no argument about the vibe ! I’m here , in a nice gaff at €500 a month , swimming pool included, and anyone who pays more than a fiver for their dinner wants their head examined, but I go home, Home to Dublin and the rain and cold , heading back next week and won’t miss the fierce heat and the mad crowds and pollution… ha… all the beautiful people with their faces covered in masked going about their daily business. I love both cities, but Dublin is my home, it is My Expensive Kip.
have your say