Mary Robinson lambasts Fossil Fuel Industry

hawley

Former president Mary Robinson has taken a swipe at the fossil fuel industry for operating “on the dark side” in the midst of the climate crisis.

Mrs Robinson was also critical of governments for failing to take the hard decisions needed to break free from fossil fuel dependence.

“Climate shocks are everywhere with intensifying floods, intensifying forest fires, intensifying drought, and the whole world is aware that something’s happened, that something’s changed,” she said.

“And yet we’re not yet in crisis mode with solutions in mind.” She was speaking in a video address to a conference in Dublin to mark the 50th anniversary of Irish aid and development agency, Trócaire.

She said the climate and biodiversity crises were now so serious that there was an urgent need for leadership and solutions but she said there was a “communications challenge”.

“The fossil fuel lobby spends about $4 billion every year communicating on the dark side - messing up the science, pretending it’s not real or denying it, muddying it, and then trying to prolong fossil fuel indefinitely into the future instead of phasing it out as quickly as possible,” she said.

“And frankly democracies are not coping well with the crisis because it’s difficult in a democracy to take hard decisions when you want to be re-elected. Unfortunately we’re not taking hard decisions quickly enough. For example here in Ireland we’re not on course to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 50pc by 2030 or 55pc as it is likely to be under new EU rules.”

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/fossil-fuel-firms-operating-on-dark-side-mary-robinson-tells-trocaires-50th-anniversary-event/a2040415090.html

Trampas

And Mary doesn’t get a private jet or chauffeur driven cars while the bus will do etc etc

RunningFlyer

Wasn’t she in Dubai recently supporting some form of the regime there? 🤔

Homesick Alien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121081975#Comment_121081975

Does she get a private jet?

I mean, she's not wrong

NSAman

Another wan making a very very nice living from the climate crisis. Wonder how she came up with the idea of “climate justice”….

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082021#Comment_121082021

She's not wrong at all. But people will still attack her because of xyz...

Any person of power in the world, of whatever scale, needs to be on side with this challenge.

Charges of hypocrisy, even though sometimes valid, are of no consequence eventually.

waterwelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082021#Comment_121082021

And are you a user of their products? You bet you are. We all are.

If we stopped using their products they would be out of business.

And that won't happen. I'm really not sure why people keep moaning about the situation while they continue to add to it.

This juggernaut won't be stopped. There's really no point trying.

fits

There absolutely is a point. We have the technology we just lack the will.

she is absolutely spot on the mark. Those companies will be worse regarded than the tobacco companies in time

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082182#Comment_121082182

This is "no point of trying" part of climate denialism then?

It's a systemic and industrial level change that is required (yup, I can't see that happening any time soon either). Pleading for individuals to change is not effective policy (although it does find a marketing niche).

I'm not exactly optimistic about this :/

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058312704/mary-robinson-lambasts-fossil-fuel-industry

I voted for Mary R back when she was running for president and happy to do so.

Since then and in relation to this matter, she's one massive hypocrite - jetting here, there & everywhere. She lectures us on our responsibilities from the lofty heights of penthouses and the comforts of first class travel. The late Peter Sutherland is another such that comes to mind.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082210#Comment_121082210

This argument is ridiculous there is literally no one on earth that is perfect when it comes to carbon emissions. Even If she was close to it people would berate her for farting or something.

ancapailldorcha

Not a great OP. It's just pasted text from an article.

Robinson is right though. We're damaging the environment and it's going to lead to humanitarian catastrophe.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082197#Comment_121082197

We've spent decades building our supply chains to this point. Radically changing that will take a lot of time, investment and will. I understand your point and agree with Robinson but what's being asked for, and needed, is complete societal restructuring.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082219#Comment_121082219

Not only is she not close to it, she is absolutely taking the piss with all the jetting around. Her credibility is shot because due to her actions there is no evidence she believes what she is saying. It just comes across as a big ego trip.

igCorcaigh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082197#Comment_121082197

The technologies that we do have, are not currently scalable enough for the challenge. The political will is not there either of course; who will vote for the politicians to bring in the required measures?

In time... well, that's the very thing that is not on our side. The initiative should have started decades ago.

fits

Maybe but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. A solid effort now could be the difference between catastrophe and annihilation. The technologies will scale quickly enough too. Look how much has changed in last decade alone

TedBundysDriver

Another rich entitled hypocrite. These people are sick.

omerin

Ruck Fobinson. The rucker who rucks off as president for a cushy UN role, despicable turd

John_Rambo

“The fossil fuel lobby spends about $4 billion every year communicating on the dark side - messing up the science, pretending it’s not real or denying it, muddying it, and then trying to prolong fossil fuel indefinitely into the future instead of phasing it out as quickly as possible”

And she's right. People are buying right in to it. This thread actually proving it by showing her being lambasted by folk who are probably not involved in the fossil fuel industry.

donaghs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082828#Comment_121082828

So is she actually proposing anything concrete? Anyone can hold up their hands and say “something must be done!”. Any real ideas on how to reduce emissions etc? Presumably the quickest way to get there would be to ramp up carbon taxes, force farmers to reduce herds, etc. but no details from her.

the closest thing I can see to a proposal from her would be to control the flow of information, so that only “correct” information is allowed to circulate. I.e. so the fossil fuel industry don’t get to muddy to waters. But then who’s next?

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082874#Comment_121082874

She's making a valid point. There's lots of money being spent on misinformation & messing up the science to protect their profits regardless of the results for the planet. She has a platform & she's using it. Good for her.

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082021#Comment_121082021

She's a typical 'green' type though. It is easy to preach from the pulpit of morality when you're well shod and you won't suffer from what you preach. People who are struggling can't afford EV's to get to work, she can and she ate from the trough for years. Why doesn't she travel to Brazil and thake on their Government with regard to the destruction of the rainforests? or China and chastise the government there? No just like Eamon she wants to punish the little man, the easy target.

Overheal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082892#Comment_121082892

And I believe the real dollar amount is vastly underestimated and underreported, and done with shell companies and other sockpuppet vehicles.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082898#Comment_121082898

she wants to punish the little man, the easy target.

The oil industry is the little man?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121081975#Comment_121081975

Typical do as I say etc....

Strumms

Robinson….

Actively sought and was elected to the highest ranking constitutional position in this sovereign state by the people of Ireland.

then gave the people of Ireland the middle finger and fûcked off before her first term as President was completed. She has subsequently acknowledged this was wrong but does she take the blame ? No she full on blames Kofi Annan …..🥱 why as president was she even talking to Kofi Annan, why was he not referred to our Taoiseach ? See this was ALL in order to take up a higher paying position with the UN….which she did before her presidency ended.

so, when it comes to anything coming out of that one’s mouth… I’m just not listening. She has fûck all credibility.

she has probably more air miles then the entire membership of boards.ie put together…

In fact for decades she has traveled by air obviously to Africa and other continents …. So she has sat on aircraft burning maybe even over a million tonnes of Jet A1 ( a fossil fuel ).. in her lifetime, looking for photo opportunities, kissing / feeding babies, shaking hands with families…etc…

According to her… “Climate change is a man-made problem that requires a feminist solution”…. Really ? That’s interesting ! Did feminists solve other global issues ? Have they a track record in trouble shooting ? A very inclusive outlook ! Send a load of feminists to the Middle East, to Russia…..see how that works out.. A grifter and a disingenuous spoofer… is the diplomatic description of her.

SouthWesterly

The fossil fuel lobby looking to prolong use of fossil fuels. The shame of it. Perhaps they should lobby for solar panels instead. What else does she expect they'll do.

She's on another one of her hobby horses.

TedBundysDriver

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083244#Comment_121083244

She's one of s long line of these sick creatures. Gates, Di Caprio, Gore etc... Multi millionaires who use private jets and boats whilst preaching down to the little guy shilling for higher taxes. There is a special place in hell for them hopefully...

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082210#Comment_121082210

So a person used a jet and therefore they can't be telling the truth.

You can dislike her all you want but she's not wrong when she says that we're not doing enough.

_Kaiser_

Does anyone outside of that pontificating set really care what Robinson says/thinks?

As others have said above, not only is she a hypocrite, it's easy to lecture/punish those who can't do much about it rather than those who are actually responsible - I'm sure our "Green" party were paying rapt attention though!

elperello

Just another shoot the messenger climate change thread.

And we still have no opinion from the OP.

AustinLostin

Lol so many in this thread acting like she personally just smacked thier

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082898#Comment_121082898

Ah yes the little man, like *checks original post* goverments and the fossil fuel industry. Two of the most vulnerable minorities known. And it is disgusting to see her stand up for Big Poverty like Trocaire and the fat cats they help.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082898#Comment_121082898

How on earth do you think of the likes of Haliburton, BP and Shell as "the little man"? Truly warped thinking if you ask me.

donaghs

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083640#Comment_121083640

A stopped clock can tell the right time twice a day, but its understandable that people are sceptical of anything Mary Robinson says.

Dubai paid for Robinson to visit ‘runaway princess’ (thetimes.co.uk)

If you take a look at climate predictions by the UN, they don't even predict the catastrophe that climate activists like to portray.

We go on holiday to the Mediterranean all the time. They have AC and have adapted in other ways. We should similarly start investing in ways to live with heat instead. Flooding and geographical change have always happened, too. Just take a look at the Zanclean flood that impacted the Mediterranean.

India, with 1.4 billion people, isn't going to become green any time soon.

This is a Western privileged project.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083708#Comment_121083708

I heard her being interviewed saying people should not take planes to go on holiday. When it was pointed out to her she is flying all over the world she casually brushed the question aside.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083802#Comment_121083802

You do realise that air con uses electricity which generates more carbon, which increases the warming?

The solution is green energy and reducing the carbon produced through stuff like transport and agriculture.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084005#Comment_121084005

That's the same solution I recommended i.e. innovating different ways to live with heat.

I'm in favour of green energy not because of the "climate crisis" but because I think it's an inherently good idea even if there wasn't climate change.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083907#Comment_121083907

Mary Robinson is John Kerry in a dress.

It reminds me of this image of Kerry descending his private jet to tell the rest of us how to live our lives.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083640#Comment_121083640

The problem is she's not using 'a jet' like you or possibly I might take a flight once a year.

She's been taking multiple jets criss crossing the world on a weekly if not daily basis at times for the last 20 years and more. UN business yada yada

To lecture us on climate change is therefore rank hypocrisy.

John_Rambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082898#Comment_121082898

But sure aren't you all that type?

Green types, anti green types... clattering away on your keyboards, bitching & moaning blaming each other on your woes but doing absolutely nothing about it, except she's been to China & Brazil by the way & and has chastised the governments.

Homesick Alien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121082252#Comment_121082252

You and others criticising her for "jetting around" would be the same to call Great Thunberg sailing to NY for a conference a "stunt". Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Podge_irl

Aircon doesn't do much when flash floods are raging through your city.

Nonetheless, while I understand the appeal of focusing on the "fossil fuel industry", the fact is that if they disappeared tomorrow we would be in a far worse position than we will be in due to global warming. What is needed is change in energy production which they will inevitably be a part of. Also, it needs to be driven by govt but more importantly society. The biggest problem today is that the economic side effects of green transition simply are not popular. Solving that is a harder question, but where the efforts should be directed instead of pointlessly railing against those fulfilling the legal demand for fuels.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084200#Comment_121084200

Expecting others to do what you would not do destroys credibility, simple as that.

osarusan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084206#Comment_121084206

There's a lot of truth in that, but I think there is a question of how much of the unpopularity of transitioning to green energy is down to the perception that it's not really necessary because climate fears are overblown, and the role of fossil fuel companies in perpetuating that perception, in similar fashion to how tobacco companies endlessly attempted to muddy the waters around the link between smoking and cancer.

Mullaghteelin

At some point in history she was a radical anti-establishment voice with the courage to be controversial.

After discovering her "Elders" homepage some time ago, I have concluded she has become a creepy parody with a Messiah complex.

tayto lover

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083699#Comment_121083699

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121083708#Comment_121083708

Because anything that is loaded onto them will eventually be paid by the customer, the man who has to use their product. That's the way of it.

Viscount Aggro

Does she have central heating, drive a car, use commercial flights... then shes part of the problem.

I bet shes never had to eat beans direct from a can, like I have done.

Is she not long past retirement.. why is she still making public comments?

hawley

https://www.speakerbookingagency.com/talent/mary-robinson

She continuously positions herself alongside the poorest people in the world, when she has absolutely nothing in common with them. 100,000 dollars for a speech! She sees herself amongst society's elite and that it's her right to tell us how to think.

randd1

She may be a hypocrite, but just because you don't set the example yourself it doesn't mean your argument is wrong.

Mary R is bang on with this one.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084248#Comment_121084248

That's some serious moving of goalposts there.

AustinLostin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121084248#Comment_121084248

But its the fossil fuel companies making record profits off the customer, not Mary Robinson. And its the goverment and lobby groups that are allowing the consumer to have the burden be placed on them. So yes thats the way of it, as we all seem to have accepted it, and go on the attack when its pointed out for some reason.