Government “passing the buck” on climate change, says Ahern

Labour’s Climate Spokesperson Ciarán Ahern has said the latest data from the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service should serve as a wake-up call for the government.

The latest statistics from the EU confirmed that March 2025 was the second warmest March on record and marked the 20th time in the last 21 months that the global average surface temperature exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The Labour TD said, “it’s not just a trend – it is a crisis.”

“When 20 out of 21 months breach the critical 1.5 degree threshold, we are not looking at isolated anomalies; these statistics are stark, and they cannot be ignored.”

Ahern said, “the gravity of the situation necessitates an urgent, all-government approach. Climate action can no longer be confined to one department or treated as a peripheral issue.”

With the Trump tariffs dominating the headlines over the last week, Ahern said it was “important” that the government “doesn’t bow to Trump” on environmental issues.

“It’s important that we don’t reduce our environmental standards to facilitate the importation of products made to inferior environmental standards from the US or elsewhere. It is of the utmost importance that the government hold firm on this.”

The Dublin South-West TD claimed that the government is being propped up by “climate-denying independents,” and he says the government putting climate action on the backburner is a political choice.

“The climate crisis is political – and it requires political choices. Labour has been clear in offering a credible, bold alternative,” he said.

He pointed to Labour’s policy of bringing in a €9 per month unlimited public transport ticket, similar to what was done in Germany.

“This would be the equivalent of removing 23,000 cars from our roads; it tackles multiple crises at once: reducing transport emissions, cutting congestion, and lowering household costs and it is a tangible, achievable policy that puts people and the planet first.”

“We are also calling for a retrofitting revolution. Retrofitting local authority housing is the fastest and fairest way to cut carbon emissions while improving people’s quality of life. Cold, damp homes must become a thing of the past. Labour’s plan would kickstart a national programme, beginning with those most in need. Local authority homes should be at the centre of this green transformation – setting the standard for the rest of the country.”

Ahern said, “the time for small-scale solutions and half-measures is long gone. This crisis is escalating. Every fraction of a degree matters. Every year of delay carries devastating consequences. We are witnessing rising sea levels, intensified weather events and collapsing biodiversity – and it is our children and grandchildren who will pay the price if we fail to act.”

“Labour believes this must be the moment we recalibrate our priorities. Climate must be at the core of every budgetary, planning and infrastructural decision. We need a national carbon budget, not just a fiscal budget. Every department must be held accountable for emissions reductions. The government must stop passing the buck and start treating this as the emergency it is. There is no greater duty than safeguarding our planet for future generations. Climate action must be at the centre of political decision-making – not just for today, but for the future of our country and our world.”