Planet Must Come Before Profit

limerick | environment | other press Wednesday July 04, 2007 16:50 by Limerick Socialist Youth - SY & SP socialistyouth at hotmail dot com Limerick 086-8064801

Stop Environmental Destruction!

Cimate Change Means...
- 11 of the last 12 years were record breakingly warm
- The number of hurricanes has doubled in the 30 years
- The arctic ocean will be ice-free in summer by 2050
- Ireland's carbon emissions have increased by 25 in 15 years% and transport emmissions by 140%
- Limerick will be permanently fooded in 50 years unless climate change is halted (EPA Report 2007)

Big Business = Big Polluters

Numerous studies carried out by organisations such as the United Nations have highlighted the potential catastrophe that will result from our environment's destruction. The main causes of global warming are the increase in carbon emissions, mainly by big business and the deforestation of the rain forests for profit.

Projected temperature rises would melt the polar ice caps, raising sea levels, causing widespread flooding,in including of Limerick. The effects of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans two years ago shows the potential humanitarian disaster we face. Millions of people will be forced to flee from coastal regions and projected temperature increases will threaten 50% of land species with extinction.

Capitalist governments fail
Internationally, governments are refusing to act to halt global warming. Many politicians have recently paid lip service to the issue but are unwilling to invest in renewable energy or to take on big business polluters.

The failed Kyoto agreement is proof of this. The deal was so watered down, under pressure from big business, that scientists estimate 30 ‘Kyotos’ are needed. Even this deal was postponed from 1992, when the first conference took place, to 2005 when it became enforcable. Still it was rejected by US big business as “too harmful to profits”.

Here in Ireland despite the massive resources that the Fianna Fail led government has had over the past ten years they frefused to invest in public transport as an alternative to car use. They are also failing to invest in renewable energy such as wind and wave power. They side with big oil companies over the environment and ordinary people everytime.

Green Party betrayal
The recent decision of the Green Party to support Fianna Fail will not stop climate change. It will only give a green shield behind which Fianna Fail can hide their pro-buisiness, anti-worker, anti-environment agenda. Projects such as the M3 motorway, the Rossport pipeline and an incinerator in Dublin have been given the go ahead by the ‘Green’ Minister, John Gormley. Also, US military still use Shannon Airport as a stop-over on their way to Iraq. The reality is Fianna Fail and their financial backers in big business make millions in profit from environmental destruction. You can’t simply ‘convince’ them to go against all they stand for - only people power can force them back.

The Socialist Alternative
Socialist Youth lay the blame for our environment's destruction firmly at the door of big business. Therefore we oppose working class people being forced to pay the price for the super rich’s destruction. Water charges etc. are no solution. What is really needed is global plan of action to put the needs of the people and the planet before the profits of the super rich elite. This will mean taking on the power of the energy multinationals.

Socialist Youth stands for a democratic socialist society where our planet's wealth and resources are taken out of the hands of big business .This would allow us to properly invest in technology that would drastically reduce the amount of carbon emissions as well as investing in renewable energy and a properly funded and free public transport system.

If you are interested in finding out more come along to RESISTANCE on Saturday July 21st upstairs in Riddlers ar on Sarsfild street and contact us today!

Debating how the planet can be saved with the Young PDs on “Is the Capitalist Market to blame?”

Film showing of “Who Killed the electric car” about big oil & car companies killing’’ eco-friendly technology to protect their profits.

PDF of Climate Change Leaflet 0.24 Mb