‘Strong language’ on climate needed to motivate governments, says Robinson

Former Irish president and climate change activist Mary Robinson said Ireland’s aim to halve its emissions by 2030 will now be ‘all-absorbing’.

Former Irish president Mary Robinson has said she will call out countries that do not stick to their climate objectives, but that “a positive narrative” is needed to motivate members of the public (Damien Storan/PA) (PA Wire)

Former Irish president Mary Robinson has said she will call out countries that do not stick to their climate objectives, but that “a positive narrative” is needed to motivate members of the public.

The vocal climate change activist said she believes the world’s best times are ahead, but that civilisation is currently on track for its “worst, worst times”.

“I think very strong language may be necessary for governments, but actually it doesn’t help motivate people,” she said.

“I think what motivates people is thinking about our best times are there if we just move rapidly, and we’re heading in the wrong direction but we can change, and we can do it with this moonshot mentality.”

Our best times are still ahead of us, and we're heading for our worst, worst times

Mary Robinson

Mrs Robinson said “a positive narrative” is needed to convince people to make the drastic changes necessary to cut global emissions.

“I’m working at the moment with a lot of women leaders globally, and something that we learned from an indigenous member of our group… in her tribe in New Mexico, they say ‘What if our best times are still ahead of us?’, and they are,” she told RTE Radio’s Morning Ireland programme.

“Our best times are still ahead of us, and we’re heading for our worst, worst times.”

Mrs Robinson is among those attending the Cop27 climate conference in Egypt, where world leaders are currently meeting to discuss climate change goals.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin, who is due to speak about Ireland’s climate ambition on Tuesday, said time is running out for governments to act.

Mrs Robinson said switching to green energy globally is part of the positive change that is needed.

“That will be incredible in cities that will be full of green and gardens and even farms in cities.

“The 600 million in Africa will get access to green energy, it will be a whole sea change, and we’re almost there, but we just don’t have the political will.”

Mr Robinson said she and her colleagues in The Elders non-profit group of statesmen and activists will be “calling out” governments that do not stick to their climate commitments.

“We call out the United States if necessary, we call out Europe if necessary, but we also call out the ones who are supporting too much the fossil fuel lobby,” she said.

Mrs Robinson said she understands the anger of African countries that are being told not to invest in infrastructure to extract oil and gas.

But she added that clean hydrogen has great potential to create jobs in Africa, and it is possible that countries’ debts can be forgiven if they invest in adaptation.

“We have to understand the anger of African leaders, but, actually, those of us who have looked into it closely do not see that it makes sense.

“I don’t think it is wise for African countries to have whole new infrastructure for oil and gas. It would take too long and they wouldn’t be competitive, and probably they would be stranded assets by the time they come on stream.”

She said the goal of dramatically reducing global emissions will now be “all-absorbing”.

“The truth is that emissions are still going up. And yet we have to cut them – in Ireland we have to cut them by 51% by 2030. In January, that will be seven years’ time. This is really really going to be all-absorbing now.”