Irish parliament has declared a climate and biodiversity emergency, becoming the second country in the world to make the declaration.

A Fianna Fáil amendment to the Oireachtas report on Climate Action was accepted by both the Government and opposition parties yesterday, 09 May.

It comes after the United Kingdom's declaration on Wednesday 01 May.

Welcoming the announcement, Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan TD said: "We are glad that Dail Eireann has declared a climate and biodiversity emergency and has accepted and endorsed the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action.

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"Our Parliament is the second national parliament to pass such a motion but it will be of little meaning unless we are now willing to act on the recommendations of the Committee and of the Citizens Assembly. I am proud of the role that the Green Party has played in making this happen and we will continue to work in analysing and amending the new National Energy and Climate Action Plan that the Government has to deliver in the next six months.

"Ireland has become a climate laggard in the last eight years but there is no reason we could not turn that around and become leaders. We need to change our entire food, energy, transport and industrial systems in the next two decades and deliver a just transition through a Green New Deal. We may look back in future years and see the parliamentary process which culminated in the vote this evening as being a historic turning point in our country. We look forward to making that future a reality."

The party's Deputy Leader Catherine Martin has also called on the government to act immediately to change course on climate.

(CM/JG)