Climate Justice Caravan walks across Munster to highlight Climate Crisis

Climate Justice Caravan – Environmental activists embarked on a nine-day journey across Munster, from Ennis to Tarbert, for climate justice and the rights of nature.

Environmental activists embarked on a nine-day journey across Munster

From Saturday, April 9th to Monday the 18th, environmental activists embarked on a nine-day journey across Munster, from Ennis to Tarbert, for climate justice and the rights of nature.

The Climate Justice Caravan was made up of members from, and supported by, the Glasgow Agreement, Extinction Rebellion, Futureproof Clare, Rights of Nature Ireland, Cappagh Farmers Support Group, Keep Tulla Untouched, Safety Before LNG, Friends of Ardee Bog, Ecojustice Ireland, Unite Community Climate Justice branch, and Cultivate.

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The Caravan walked from Ennis to Tulla to Scarriff, until it met the River Shannon at Killaloe. It then proceeded alongside the river through Clonlara, Shannonbanks, Mungret, Curraghchase, Aughinish Alumina, Knockpatrick, and finally Tarbert.

Along the way, the Climate Justice Caravan visited locations linked to the climate and biodiversity crisis, such as the prospective mining site at Tulla, the highly polluting Aughinish Alumina found on the banks of the Shannon River, and the Shannon LNG site at Tarbert.

“We live in rich biodiversity and within an ecosystem that needs to be protected fromextractivism and exploitation. Mining practices pollute the water levels for eternity, no matter how much care is given to environmental considerations,” said Jacintha van Roij, spokesperson for Keep Tulla Untouched.

In order to protect both the natural ecosystems and people that rely on them, the Climate Justice Caravan advocates that the River Shannon and the surrounding area be granted inalienable rights to have it protected under law.

“The Shannon River flows through Ireland and its importance to the communities and biodiversity that live alongside the river highlights the interconnectedness between nature and humankind. We cannot protect ourselves without first protecting Nature,” stated Aisling Wheeler of Futureproof Clare.

This action is a continuation of the national and international Rights of Nature movement. In 2021 in Ireland, the Rights of Nature was adopted by Derry City and Strabane district councils. Internationally, the movement has been led primarily by indigenous groups, and so far rights have been granted to rivers and other natural entities across the world in places such as Ecuador, New Zealand, India, Colombia, and Africa.

A recent report highlighted the gap in environmental laws in Ireland for marginalised communities. The Climate Justice Caravan walked, camped and spoke to these marginalised communities in Munster to listen and hear the environmental degradation that they have had to be faced with.

“Locals made us food and let us camp on their yard. Even the owner at Mungret Church let us camp on their grounds,” said Sinead Jackson, owner of Nádúr Naisc Ireland.

“It was very uplifting and powerful to see communities across Clare, Limerick and Kerry hold us and come together for a greater cause. As environmentalists, our mental health has taken a real hit as we are constantly made feel like we’re the problem but during this trip we got to talk to the local people first-hand and the response we got was healing. Many of the locals we spoke to said they didn’t feel like their voices were being heard and that they were the ones being hit the most by environmental degradation yet people in power were speaking or making decisions that have been detrimental to their health and safety,” added Sinead Jackson.

This action was inspired by an international callout by the Glasgow Agreement for grassroots climate groups to walk for Climate Justice. During the same time period, climate activists in Portugal walked 400km to highlight how climate change has already altered their local ecosystems while reducing the ability of locals to cope with the drastic climatic changes.

Oscar Mooney of Extinction Rebellion Ireland said, “We hope this action will support the rights to be evoked for the Shannon River and surrounding area, as well as inspire the Rights of Nature to be adopted into Irish national law in the future”.  

Portuguese climate researcher and activist, João Camargo, added, “We’re delighted to have done our caravan at the same time as our friends in Ireland. Never in the history of social and political movements do we need more international solidarity and responses than ever. In Portugal, the climate crisis has rendered our rural areas a vulnerable and dangerous place to live in – The climate crisis isn’t just tomorrow, it’s already here.”

For more information on Extinction Rebellion Ireland, go HERE

See a recent Environmental Justice Ireland report from March 2022 HERE

For more stories on the environment, go HERE