Comments on: The Green issue http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/ Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:51:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Donagh http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-3721 Donagh Tue, 31 Oct 2006 21:40:43 +0000 http://www.irishelection.com/10/the-green-issue/#comment-3721 As you pointed out in your own post WorldbyStorm the environmental issue is now mainstream. In Britian it is the new cause celeb for Labour, being seen as a flagship issue now that a report exists that highlights the economic consequences of NOT acting. For years the environmental issue relied on sentiment, the harm to flora and fauna, the ever encroaching coastline, flooding and of course, the jokes about unseasonal warmth (enjoying Bahama's weather in Bray etc). It's interesting that it's now a hot political subject with all the parties in Ireland too. We had Fine Gael on the radio this morning arguing the toss with Dick Roach. But what the Greens can do now is keep all these sudden converts in check. In most cases, because Ireland was behind on meeting the expected targets for the Kyoto Protocol, (having relied on the excuse that Ireland's economy was growing at a rapid rate in the last ten years) very little has actually been done and the plans that are in place are too ineffective to make up the difference. The Greens though have a chance of sponging up votes amongst those urban sophisticates (left, liberal, middle class) for whom the environment is a real issue, while steering clear of an prohibitive economic agenda except perhaps when it comes to making sacrifies with tangible environmental results. As you pointed out in your own post WorldbyStorm the environmental issue is now mainstream. In Britian it is the new cause celeb for Labour, being seen as a flagship issue now that a report exists that highlights the economic consequences of NOT acting. For years the environmental issue relied on sentiment, the harm to flora and fauna, the ever encroaching coastline, flooding and of course, the jokes about unseasonal warmth (enjoying Bahama’s weather in Bray etc). It’s interesting that it’s now a hot political subject with all the parties in Ireland too. We had Fine Gael on the radio this morning arguing the toss with Dick Roach. But what the Greens can do now is keep all these sudden converts in check. In most cases, because Ireland was behind on meeting the expected targets for the Kyoto Protocol, (having relied on the excuse that Ireland’s economy was growing at a rapid rate in the last ten years) very little has actually been done and the plans that are in place are too ineffective to make up the difference. The Greens though have a chance of sponging up votes amongst those urban sophisticates (left, liberal, middle class) for whom the environment is a real issue, while steering clear of an prohibitive economic agenda except perhaps when it comes to making sacrifies with tangible environmental results.

]]> By: WorldbyStorm http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-3720 WorldbyStorm Tue, 31 Oct 2006 19:39:45 +0000 http://www.irishelection.com/10/the-green-issue/#comment-3720 Couldn't agree more. I think the centrist nature of the Irish Greens is crucial - possibly to their long term development. Couldn’t agree more. I think the centrist nature of the Irish Greens is crucial – possibly to their long term development.

]]> By: Adam Maguire http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-3682 Adam Maguire Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:45:32 +0000 http://www.irishelection.com/10/the-green-issue/#comment-3682 Thanks for the link, WorldbyStorm, interesting read; threw the link into the piece to give another view on it, even though it's not that different! I do, however, think that the Greens are enjoying the surge on the back of heightened awareness, however once the other parties see the appeal in green issues, that'll probably start to fade away again. The fact is no other party seem to be talking green at all, besides basic and vague little references. As it stands I'd say the Greens could do better than double their seat share, especially when you factor PR into the system (where people voting FG, FF, Lab or PD give Green a 2nd preference), as being environmentally friendly tends to go above right and left divides, especially when they're as centrist as they are in Ireland. Thanks for the link, WorldbyStorm, interesting read; threw the link into the piece to give another view on it, even though it’s not that different!

I do, however, think that the Greens are enjoying the surge on the back of heightened awareness, however once the other parties see the appeal in green issues, that’ll probably start to fade away again.
The fact is no other party seem to be talking green at all, besides basic and vague little references. As it stands I’d say the Greens could do better than double their seat share, especially when you factor PR into the system (where people voting FG, FF, Lab or PD give Green a 2nd preference), as being environmentally friendly tends to go above right and left divides, especially when they’re as centrist as they are in Ireland.

]]> By: WorldbyStorm http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-3679 WorldbyStorm Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:13:33 +0000 http://www.irishelection.com/10/the-green-issue/#comment-3679 Interesting. I had very similar thoughts today as well in "<a href="http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2006/10/30/when-being-right-isnt-quite-enough-the-political-mainstream-climate-change-and-the-greens/" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow" rel="nofollow">When being right isn’t quite enough… The political mainstream, climate change and the Greens</a>," which I won't post here as well since you've covered the same ground as well or better, but I can't see their rising poll numbers as having any real relationship to the correctness of their analysis. And I'm fairly sure that all the ideas Stern has come up with will ultimately be taken on by the 'mainstream' parties'... Interesting. I had very similar thoughts today as well in “When being right isn’t quite enough… The political mainstream, climate change and the Greens,” which I won’t post here as well since you’ve covered the same ground as well or better, but I can’t see their rising poll numbers as having any real relationship to the correctness of their analysis.

And I’m fairly sure that all the ideas Stern has come up with will ultimately be taken on by the ‘mainstream’ parties’…

]]> By: mollie malone http://www.irishelection.com/2006/10/the-green-issue/comment-page-1/#comment-3678 mollie malone Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:12:25 +0000 http://www.irishelection.com/10/the-green-issue/#comment-3678 oh I can hear them already, Dick Roche king of the wafflers leading, saying that its all hogwash this country mainlines in ducking and diving always from what we should do - i'm ready to be surprised to the contrary but i wont hold my breath oh I can hear them already, Dick Roche king of the wafflers leading, saying that its all hogwash
this country mainlines in ducking and diving always from what we should do
- i’m ready to be surprised to the contrary but i wont hold my breath

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