We know what is happening - but let's ask why!

December and January have certainly been the wettest, windiest most volatile months I can remember. Homes have been destroyed, business decimated and communities devastated. With the financial cost of the past two months exceed 100 million as our nation continues to struggle with relentless storms and nationwide flooding I ask if anyone is really thinking about Why This Is Happening? 

Today the Irish Times reported that 95,000 Irish households are without power resulting directly from the record breaking storms which have pummeled our coastlines since December. Just this morning Met Eireann issued a Status Red National Weather Warning (its strongest possible warning) for coastal areas along the South and South West, reporting wind speeds as high as 115kph. ESB Cork Area Manager Jim Hernan told the Irish Times that the winds are knocking down ESB poles and other vital infrastructure. Furthermore he claimed that conditions are currently too dangerous for repair work to begin and instead focus is being placed on ensuring felled lines are as safe as possible.

As if the situation in Cork wasn’t dire enough, this afternoon a truck was quite literally blown over on the N8 – luckily the driver is uninjured!

The government have indicated that the total cost of these storms to the tax payer is likely to exceed €100 million including: €16.2 million for restoration of damaged roads, €19.6 million for repair of existing coastal protection infrastructure, €7 million for piers and harbors that have been damaged, €6 million for tourism infrastructure, €12 million to other local authority and community infrastructure and an additional €10 million for other transport and OPW infrastructure. Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin told the Irish Times Tuesday morning that “There’s€25 million to deal with the level of distress.”

So let’s take stock here for just a moment.

We know that the weather over the past two months has been the worst of most of our lives.

We know that the cost of the weather will be at least €100 million provided that the storms stop today.

We know that the weather has destroyed businesses and livelihoods as well as homes and communities.

And we know that these storms are not a freak incident. They are the product of our own behaviors. 

Behaviors that have catapulted us into this spiral of Climate Chaos. Behaviors that we have opposed. How many anti-fracking rallies and protests have taken place on this island? How many anti-oil drilling demonstrations have taken place across Europe? How many times have young people in every corner of the globe stood up united and demanded that governments take action? Too many to count. 

And yet here we are. Enduring storms the likes of which most of us have never seen in this once mild and stable climate. In my own view, the worst thing that could possibly happen now is for the storms to subside, the government to pay for the damage and everything to return to business as usual. Rather than looking on the past two months as the monumental pain in the ass that they have been, shouldn't we view them as a warning of things to come?

What if we were to break away from tradition and actually pay attention to this sign? What if our politicians were to finally accept the consequences of their actions and admit that their policies do need to change?

Wouldn't that be a welcome change? Wouldn't it be wonderful?

To join the Irish Climate Change youth movement email youngfoe@foe.ie.