Greens roll out the Hollywood big guns to help get Programme for Government over the line
Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo will join Green Party Leader and Deputy Leader, Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin, to discuss stopping US fracked gas imports in Programme for Government in an online webinar this evening.
According to the Green Party, Ruffalo and US campaigners have praised the PfG and how Ireland would become the first country in the world to ban fracked gas imports.
Spotlight and Avengers star Ruffalo, US and Irish anti-fracking campaigners will join Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin this evening (Monday) at 7PM for a livestream event called “Ireland’s Green Future” about the Programme for Government, focusing on how the PFG would stop U.S. fracked gas imports. That would make Ireland the first nation in the world to do so.
Instead of powering Ireland from increased fracked gas imports, the PFG also states that Ireland will lead the world on renewable energy procuring at least 70% renewable electricity by 2030.
The 7pm livestream event will be available here:
“For years, U.S. and Irish campaigners have worked together to achieve a ban on fracking in Ireland. Now the PFG is an opportunity for a monumental achievement for Ireland to become the first country in the world to ban fracked gas imports. This is crucial for our shared climate, as well as for the public health of Americans,” said Mark Ruffalo.
“I have been advocating for ten years with Americans who have been poisoned by fracking, many who live in the areas that would supply Ireland with fracked gas. I’m thankful that U.S. anti-fracking activists contacted Green Party leaders to support the Programme for Government and that I can lend my support in this critical moment. The result of this decision will impact the health and human rights of many Americans for decades to come.”
American campaigners have been urging Green Party members to vote for the Programme for Government. Here is one of the videos: Additional videos few will be shared during the livestream event.
Mark Ruffalo has been actively advocating to stop the US fracked gas import terminal in the Shannon Estuary that would export fracked gas from Northeast Pennsylvania. Ruffalo has been advocating for Northeast Pennsylvanian families since 2009 and worked to ban fracking in New York State. Following New York’s ban, Irish campaigners worked with New Yorkers who banned fracking including Ruffalo.
Most recently, the campaigners working to stop Shannon LNG have been working with him and other US anti-fracking campaigners, who are both working to stop fracked gas in Pennsylvania and also to stop the building of the export terminal and infrastructure. According to the Green Party the Irish Government's proposals would send an important signal to the fracking industry that the world is not open for fracked gas.