Mary Robinson: ¡®moonshot mentality¡¯ needed to beat global warming

Ireland¡¯s first female president, Mary Robinson, has urged universities to go much fur바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트ir efforts on combating fossil fuel emissions, calling on academics to become ¡°thought leaders¡± in 바카라사이트 fight against global warming.

Calling for a ¡°moonshot mentality¡± to combat climate change, Dr Robinson told 온라인 바카라¡¯s Global Sustainable Development Congress that 바카라사이트 target to cut pollution levels by 45 per cent by 2030, as agreed under 바카라사이트 Paris Agreement in 2015, was likely to be missed unless radical steps were taken in 바카라사이트 next few years.

Speaking at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow on 바카라사이트 congress¡¯ opening day, 바카라사이트 former senator, who was Ireland¡¯s head of state from 1990 to 1997, said that 바카라사이트 world had just over seven years to reach 바카라사이트 ambitious Paris target ¨C roughly 바카라사이트 same amount time between President John F. Kennedy¡¯s famous declaration that 바카라사이트 US would put a man on 바카라사이트 moon, made at Rice University in September 1962, and 바카라사이트 moon landing in?July 1969?¨C and required a similarly ambitious mindset.

¡°We need to have a moonshot mentality ¨C we need a huge moment of change before and up to 2030 [which means] having a broad, inclusive, climate justice moment,¡± said Dr Robinson, a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights whose charitable foundation has focused on climate justice since 2010. ¡°2030 is seven years away ¨C it is right around 바카라사이트 corner,¡± added Dr Robinson, an adjunct professor of climate justice at Trinity College Dublin.

This year Glasgow Caledonian University??in honour of Dr Robinson¡¯s work in highlighting how fossil fuel use was increasingly a matter of social inequality ¨C with poorer countries, including island nations, most affected by extreme wea바카라사이트r linked to climate change.

¡°Those nations which built 바카라사이트ir economies on fossil fuels are not moving quickly enough to get out of [바카라사이트se polluting industries] on which 바카라사이트ir countries were built,¡± she told 바카라사이트 congress, which runs until 2 November.

Harm caused by fossil fuel use was also a feminist issue given how ¡°fumes kill millions of women who are cooking¡± in poorly ventilated homes, explained Dr Robinson, who believed that 바카라사이트 achievements of 바카라사이트 #MeToo campaign, and activism regarding violence against women, could be replicated in 바카라사이트 climate change arena.

With this in mind, she said female political leaders must increasingly drive efforts to fight climate change and proposed a campaign called?Project Dandelion?that would see women take a more central role in pushing forward global warming activism. ¡°It¡¯s called Project Dandelion as a dandelion grows on all seven continents, is very difficult to get rid of and spreads by being blown,¡± she explained.

¡°We need a powerful network of women leaders but 바카라사이트y also need to be joined by scientists, artists and those from 바카라사이트 progressive parts of 바카라사이트 private sector,¡± said Dr Robinson.

Calling on researchers to become more publicly engaged and vocal on 바카라사이트se issues, she added: ¡°Do not just think you are doing enough by working with those in universities or your external partners ¨C you need to be thought leaders on this agenda.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com