Dear reader,
A hearty applause to Philip Boucher-Hayes and his team for delivering the superbly unsettling opening episode of Rising Tides: Ireland’s Future in a Warming Globe. It’s a call to reassess the tremendous amount of car advertising that persistently marks the stations of RTÉ. If we could reduce the emphasis on car-based travel – such as rethinking the title of radio programmes like Drivetime – it would be a step forward in the fight against transport-related emissions. This change could hasten the urgently needed shift in modes of transport – an essential move to detach transport emissions from economic advancement.
There is a crucial need for a comprehensive transition away from private car transportation as compared to just a shift to electric vehicles (EVs). Bear in mind, EVs comprise substantial amounts of embodied carbon and fail to bring any “co-benefits” linked with reduced use of private vehicles. For example, lowered instances of road fatalities, enhancing the public domain, health improvements, combating obesity, encouraging social equality, and alleviating varied financial pressures on the government.
Referencing the recent show of Sinéad O’Connor: a queer and provocative performance which paid tribute to the departed singer in New York amidst a seance and celebrations.
I applaud People Before Profit’s new legislation on the table (Prohibition of Fossil Fuel Advertising Bill) in the Dáil which aims to prohibit promotion of fossil fuel and vehicles running on fossil fuel. It’s my sincere hope that this law could be put into place swiftly. Moreover, this piece of legislation should also cover all private vehicle advertisements.
Sincerely,
LYNN McMAHON,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.