Latest news with #ecologicalcrisis
Irish Times
10-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Report condemns decline of Ireland's largest saltwater lake over 40 years
Pollution of Ireland's largest saltwater lake in Co Wexford was allowed continue over 40 years without adequate intervention by State authorities to arrest its decline, a damning report by an Oireachtas committee concludes. In its report on Lady's Island Lake, a large lagoon, the Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy makes seven recommendations with a view to its full restoration. The ecosystem has protected status under EU directives – as a special protected area for birds, and special area of conservation for habitats – but despite local efforts, run-off from dairy and tillage farms has made it heavily polluted. An EPA -funded study published earlier this year found a five- to seven-fold reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus inputs to the lake would be necessary to return it to good ecological status. Commenting on their findings, lead author Dr Cilian Roden said it was not the story of a recent collapse. READ MORE 'This lake is not damaged. It is the most polluted lake in Ireland. It is already kaput,' he added. Given the extent of decline, such reports were closer to 'obituaries', he said, rather than analyses that could confidently prescribe remedial actions. Speaking following publication of the latest report on Thursday, committee chairman Naoise Ó Múirí TD said: 'The continuing ecological crisis taking place at Lady's Island Lake is a devastating example of environmental decline in Ireland today. For over 40 years, the situation has continued to deteriorate despite the efforts of the local community. 'This highlights a failure in public administration as regulations and standards were clearly insufficient to protect the lake yet no public body saw it as their responsibility to show leadership to reverse that decline,' he added. Their recommendations were, he said, 'essential to the long-term restoration of the lake'. The committee calls for a new set of 'regulations, standards and practices' for farming near large waterbodies to halt environmental decline and ensure their long-term protection. Wexford County Council should lead the restoration with full support of the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage; the EPA; the National Parks & Wildlife Service; the Local Authority Waters Programme; Teagasc and Uisce Éireann, it says. The report highlights the successful work of environmental programmes including Duncannon EIP in Co Wexford and the Lough Carra project in Co Mayo . The enthusiasm and participation of the local community and farmers surrounding Lady's Island Lake needed to be harnessed, it says. In accordance with the EPA report, the committee recommends 'rigorous site-specific planning' to optimise chances of success. The relevant Ministers must ensure the multi-body restoration project 'is given a clear and specific mandate to restore Lady's Island Lake to a condition similar to that before the inundation of nitrates and phosphorus in recent decades'. They must ensure the project is adequately resourced with support for ongoing work by various stakeholders and the local community, it says. 'The setting up of a locally led agri-environment scheme, for example, could halt the lake's decline before fully fledged restoration begins. This could include further development of buffer zones and other mitigatory measures to reduce the amount of nitrates entering the lake,' it says. In calling for a new regulations, standards and practices, the committee says this should be done on an all-island basis 'acknowledging the interconnected nature of Ireland's lakes, rivers, streams, lagoons ... as a single biogeographic unit'. 'The action taken to restore Lady's Island should be used as a national exemplar of community-led agri-environmental schemes and lessons learned from this process should directly inform the design of future schemes to address nutrient pollution and habitat restoration.'
Reuters
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Pope Leo interrupts vacation to appeal for action on climate change
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, July 9 (Reuters) - Pope Leo interrupted a two-week vacation on Wednesday to celebrate a special Mass exhorting Catholics to exercise care for creation, in the Vatican's second major appeal in a week for the world to address global climate change. "Today … we live in a world that is burning, both because of global warming and armed conflicts," the pontiff said in a small outdoor ceremony in Castel Gandolfo, an Italian hill town about an hour's drive from Rome where he is spending his holiday. "We have to pray for the conversion of many people … who still do not see the urgency of caring for our common home," said the pontiff. Leo, who was elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, did not mention specific natural disasters caused by global warming but said the world was experiencing an "ecological crisis". The new pope said the 1.4-billion-member Church was committed to speaking about the issue, "even when it requires the courage to oppose the destructive power of the princes of this world". The Mass included a prayer for victims of the flash flooding in Texas, where at least 109 deaths had been reported as of Tuesday. Leo, the first U.S. pope, celebrated Wednesday's Mass according to a new Catholic rite that exhorts people to care for creation, first published by the Vatican on July 3 in its latest push to address climate issues. Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official who helped to organise the Mass, told Reuters that Leo's decision to interrupt his vacation was a sign of the importance the new pope will place on environmental matters. "By offering this Mass … at the beginning of his holiday, Pope Leo is giving a beautiful example of thanking for God's great gift and praying that the human family learns to care for our common home," said Czerny. Francis, who died on April 21, was also a firm proponent of care for creation. He was the first pope to embrace the scientific consensus about climate change and urged nations, opens new tab to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the 2015 Paris climate accord. Leo is reviving a centuries-old tradition of popes taking holidays in Castel Gandolfo with a July 6-20 vacation in the sleepy hill town of about 8,900 residents on the shores of Lake Albano. Residents told Reuters earlier this month they hope Leo's visit will help boost tourism, with visitors coming to take part in public religious celebrations with the pope on July 13 and 20. Wednesday's Mass was held in the 55-hectare gardens of the papal villa, which Francis opened to visitors and turned into an ecological institute. The ceremony included several senior cardinals and about 50 staff members of the villa, gathered in front of a statue of Mary among tightly trimmed hedges in the garden.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pope prays for Texas flood victims in climate crisis warning
Pope Leo XIV interrupted his holiday at Castel Gandolfo to issue a stark warning about a "burning" world, urging Catholics to address the climate crisis. This marks the Vatican 's second significant appeal on global warming within a week, with Leo characterising the global situation as an "ecological crisis". The pontiff called for prayer for the "conversion of many people" who do not recognise the urgency of caring for "our common home". Leo celebrated a Mass according to a new Catholic rite focused on care for creation, which included a prayer for victims of flash flooding in Texas. Cardinal Michael Czerny noted that Leo's decision to interrupt his holiday underscores the new pope's commitment to environmental matters, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Francis.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Pope Leo interrupts holiday to issue warning: ‘We live in a world that is burning'
Pope Leo XIV has issued a stark warning about a 'burning' world as he interrupted his two-week holiday to urge Catholics to address the climate crisis. This marks the Vatican's second significant appeal on global warming within a week. Speaking from Castel Gandolfo, an Italian hill town near Rome where he is on holiday, the pontiff declared during a small outdoor ceremony: "Today … we live in a world that is burning, both because of global warming and armed conflicts." Leo, who was elected on 8 May to succeed Pope Francis, said: "We have to pray for the conversion of many people … who still do not see the urgency of caring for our common home." While refraining from naming specific climate-induced disasters, he characterised the global situation as an "ecological crisis". Leo said the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church was committed to speaking about the issue, "even when it requires the courage to oppose the destructive power of the princes of this world". The Mass included a prayer for victims of the flash flooding in Texas, where at least 111 people have died and 173 are still missing. Leo celebrated Wednesday's Mass according to a new Catholic rite that exhorts people to care for creation, first published by the Vatican on 3 July in its latest push to address climate issues. Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official who helped to organise the Mass, said that Leo's decision to interrupt his holiday was a sign of the importance the new pope will place on environmental matters. "By offering this Mass … at the beginning of his holiday, Pope Leo is giving a beautiful example of thanking for God's great gift and praying that the human family learns to care for our common home," said Cardinal Czerny. Garden mass Francis, who died on 21 April, was also a firm proponent of care for creation. He was the first pope to embrace the scientific consensus about climate change and urged nations to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the 2015 Paris climate accord. Leo is reviving a centuries-old tradition of popes taking holidays in Castel Gandolfo with a July 6-20 vacation in the sleepy hill town of about 8,900 residents on the shores of Lake Albano. Residents earlier said they hope Leo's visit will help boost tourism, with visitors coming to take part in public religious celebrations with the pope on 13 and 20 July. Wednesday's Mass was held in the 55-hectare gardens of the papal villa, which Francis opened to visitors and turned into an ecological institute. The ceremony included several senior cardinals and about 50 staff members of the villa, gathered in front of a statue of Mary among tightly trimmed hedges in the garden.
CNA
09-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Pope Leo interrupts vacation to appeal for action on climate change
CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy: Pope Leo interrupted a two-week vacation on Wednesday (Jul 9) to celebrate a special Mass exhorting Catholics to exercise care for creation, in the Vatican's second major appeal in a week for the world to address global climate change. "Today … we live in a world that is burning, both because of global warming and armed conflicts," the pontiff said in a small outdoor ceremony in Castel Gandolfo, an Italian hill town about an hour's drive from Rome where he is spending his holiday. "We have to pray for the conversion of many people … who still do not see the urgency of caring for our common home," said the pontiff. Leo, who was elected on May 8 to replace the late Pope Francis, did not mention specific natural disasters caused by global warming but said the world was experiencing an "ecological crisis". The new pope said the 1.4-billion-member Church was committed to speaking about the issue, "even when it requires the courage to oppose the destructive power of the princes of this world". The Mass included a prayer for victims of the flash flooding in Texas, where at least 109 deaths had been reported as of Tuesday. Leo, the first US pope, celebrated Wednesday's Mass according to a new Catholic rite that exhorts people to care for creation, first published by the Vatican on Jul 3 in its latest push to address climate issues. Cardinal Michael Czerny, a senior Vatican official who helped to organise the Mass, told Reuters that Leo's decision to interrupt his vacation was a sign of the importance the new pope will place on environmental matters. "By offering this Mass … at the beginning of his holiday, Pope Leo is giving a beautiful example of thanking for God's great gift and praying that the human family learns to care for our common home," said Czerny. GARDEN MASS Francis, who died on Apr 21, was also a firm proponent of care for creation. He was the first pope to embrace the scientific consensus about climate change and urged nations to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the 2015 Paris climate accord. Leo is reviving a centuries-old tradition of popes taking holidays in Castel Gandolfo with a Jul 6-20 vacation in the sleepy hill town of about 8,900 residents on the shores of Lake Albano. Residents told Reuters earlier this month they hope Leo's visit will help boost tourism, with visitors coming to take part in public religious celebrations with the pope on Jul 13 and 20. Wednesday's Mass was held in the 55-hectare gardens of the papal villa, which Francis opened to visitors and turned into an ecological institute. The ceremony included several senior cardinals and about 50 staff members of the villa, gathered in front of a statue of Mary among tightly trimmed hedges in the garden.
