Ireland may become the first country to completely divest from fossil fuels

By Lulu Chang Published January 29, 2017

The environmentally conscious are bemoaning the renewed controversy around the Dakota Access Pipeline, but there may be a silver lining overseas. In a decisive victory for the Earth, Ireland has become the world’s first country to completely divest from fossil fuels. In a 90 to 53 vote, the Irish Parliament passed legislation that will drop coal, oil, and gas investments from its $8.56 billion Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.

The bill was introduced by Deputy Thomas Pringle, and while it’s not officially law yet (it still awaits review by Ireland’s financial committee), chances of its ultimate passage are high. If it does pass, the law will require the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to sell its investment in fossil fuel industries over the course of the next five years.

Recommended Videos

“This principle of ethical financing is a symbol to these global corporations that their continual manipulation of climate science, denial of the existence of climate change and their controversial lobbying practices of politicians around the world is no longer tolerated,” Pringle said. “We cannot accept their actions while millions of poor people in underdeveloped nations bear the brunt of climate change forces as they experience famine, mass emigration and civil unrest as a result.”

The landmark legislation will be more of a largely symbolic effort, as Ireland does not have a particularly large environmental impact, given its small size. All the same, its decision may pave the way for larger countries to take similar pledges. It certainly stands in sharp contrast to the latest tone taken by the American government, whose current administration has reversed many of the goals of the Obama era.

Should Ireland’s divestment legislation pass, it’ll overtake Norway as the country that has done most in terms of cutting ties with fossil fuels. In 2015, Norway’s Norway’s sovereign pension fund divested from some, but not all, fossil fuel companies.

Former Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

Topics

Emerging Tech

AI can turn a cloud of scuba bubbles into an early warning for divers

An underwater robot can estimate breathing rates from video, although the research stops short of proving that it can diagnose stress or distress

Nature, Outdoors, Water, Scuba

University of Minnesota researchers have taught an AI underwater robot to estimate a diver’s breathing rate by watching the bubbles released with each exhalation.

The contactless system, detailed in a peer-reviewed study published in The International Journal of Robotics Research, works with ordinary camera footage. Divers don’t need to squeeze another sensor into an equipment loadout that is hardly lacking for accessories.

Emerging Tech

Microsoft wants AI to catch hackers before they even attack

Red team, blue team, green team: Microsoft just gave its AI a full security squad.

Microsoft Project Perception

With AI now capable of writing exploits and running attacks at machine speed, the security tools built for a slower, human-paced world are starting to show their age. Microsoft thinks it has the answer, and it's calling it Project Perception.

So what exactly is Project Perception?

Emerging Tech

Nike’s new slide is basically a spa day for your feet

Nike and Hyperice built a slide that literally heats up and vibrates your feet back to life.

nike-air-zoom-hyperslide

Nike just teamed up with Hyperice again, and this time they've built something that feels more like a wellness gadget than a shoe. Meet the Nike Air Zoom Hyperslide, a slide that not only cushions your feet but also heats and vibrates them back to life. It's made less for lounging by the pool and more for helping you recover after training, travel, or just a long day spent standing around.

What is the Nike Hyperslide?