Elaine McGoff
@elainemcgoff.bsky.social
PhD. Head of Advocacy for An Taisce. Water floats my boat. 🚲 powered. Views are my own.
Grim, but necessary viewing on salmon farming in Scotland. 'you only get what lice don't eat'
Sustainable Water Network (SWAN)@swanireland.ie · 3d agoWatch this excellent short video on salmon farming in the UK. ▶️ A lot of the issues apply to Ireland too. 😢 We must ban open-net fish farms here. 🛑 Sign our petition calling for this: https://swanireland.ie/take-action/ban-open-net-fish-farms/
No extra funding for nature, carbon tax U-turn – the Government is clearly walking away from its climate, nature & energy security commitments in Budget 2027. Great to see coverage of our reaction to Budget 2027
@foeireland.bsky.social have been doing great work for years now to stop the toxic expansion of data centres in Ireland. November 7th is the first national demo calling for a moratorium. Remember, data centres don't bring long term jobs, development or 'digital innovation'.
Yesterday was a bad day for nature as virtually no new funding was announced. The guessing and uncertainty as how Ireland's Nature Restoration Plan is to be funded goes on. www.irishtimes.com/your-money/2...
‘Government clearly not listening’: Nature groups criticise lack of budget funding
Budget allocates just €6m extra to NPWS despite experts saying €700m needed annually for nature restoration
irishtimes.com
We're getting close to 1 million signatures on this- please lend your voice to this petition calling for the protection of the laws that protect our nature. #HandsOffNature
An Taisce@antaisce.bsky.social · 6d agoHave your voice heard! Nearly a million people have said: ✋ HANDS OFF NATURE! And we’re taking their demands directly to the EU Commissioner for Environment! Let’s make our message impossible to ignore. Sign the petition before it closes on 20 October: www.handsoffnature.eu #handsoffnature
"Analysis of data on over 600,000 collisions shows children 82% more likely to be killed if struck by an SUV or LTV rather than smaller vehicle" www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/n...
Being hit by an SUV increases the likelihood of death or serious injury | LSHTM
The likelihood of a pedestrian or cyclist being fatally injured is 44% higher if they are hit by a sports utility vehicle (SUV) or light truck vehicle (LTV) compared with smaller passenger cars, new
lshtm.ac.uk
On World Rivers Day let's remember the importance of rivers for our own wellbeing. I measure out the seasons in river swims. It gifts me resilience for my autumn, resolve for my winter, hope for my spring and pure joy for my summer. Our waters are life, let's protect them. #WorldRiversDay
Irish chef and food writer Darina Allen is one of more than 120 famous chefs from around the world who have signed a letter calling for ocean-farmed salmon not to be served in restaurants. jrnl.ie/7173397
Darina Allen among famous chefs calling for ocean-farmed salmon not to be served in restaurants
The increase in farmed salmon in recent decades poses a threat to the environment and wild salmon populations.
jrnl.ie
Myself, Seán Fearon and Pat Brodie have published a report today examining the exaggerated benefits and significant costs of data centres to Ireland. Below is a short thread on some of the key takeaways. Read the full report here: mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/21... 1/6
Yesterday I demanded answers from the Minister about the Irish Government position on shocking proposals to give AI companies access to our personal data which are being negotiated right now on Ireland's watch. The public across EU want rights protected & more regulation of AI and big tech not less!
position.to
The Tonight Show@tonightvmtv.bsky.social · 3w agoIreland's AI Minister refutes claims that the Irish presidency had a hand in drafting legislation that would scrap GDPR protections for AI products. #TonightVMTV
This is all fine.... 'In a leaked document, the Irish Presidency proposes to EU Member States that the interest of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta and SpaceX to make profits should take precedence over the fundamental right to data protection.' noyb.eu/en/ai-eu-mem...
AI: EU Member States plan “digital expropriation” of Europeans in the interest of AI companies
In a leaked document, the Irish Presidency proposes to EU Member States that the interest of AI companies to make profits should take precedence over the fundamental rights of Europeans.
noyb.eu
Everyone is to blame except the guy who cancelled plans to reform the RSA and roll out reduced speed limits in built-up areas www.irishtimes.com/politics/202...
Road safety minister blames ‘everyone involved’, including road users, for rising death toll
Seán Canney’s remarks come after four deaths at the weekend and as EU ministers gather to discuss road safety
irishtimes.com
@irishtimes.com Can you please learn to distinguish between e-bikes (legal, safe, convenient, limited to 25km/h, you have to pedal) and electric motorbikes. The picture is of the first type, the story is about the second www.irishtimes.com/crime-law/20...
Man and teenager arrested after reports of e-bikes being driven dangerously in Belfast
Police chief commends actions of officers that ‘prevented further immediate danger to road users’
irishtimes.com
🥳Join the Big River Watch 2026! Today the Rivers Trust kicks off the Big River Watch citizen science event. Sign up here https://f.mtr.cool/f1rt2blub7
Breaking: In a potentially landmark decision, a major data centre project in Mayo has had planning permission overturned over climate concerns. More on @virginmedianews.bsky.social this evening.
Nice campaign by the Norwegian Consumer Council about the declining lifespan of products. Enjoy!
Another EPA report showing nitrate water pollution trends going the wrong direction-the majority of which comes from farming. The weather doesn't help,but our farming system needs to adapt so fluctuating weather does not lead to water pollution.This is our new reality. www.epa.ie/publications...
@envpillar.bsky.social met with Minister Jack Chambers to outline our pre-Budget asks - investment in nature restoration, funding a fair transition from fossil fuels, investment in renewables & retrofit schemes, support for public & active transport & sustainable funding for civil society groups
2 different headlines in my timeline right now about how AI is going to potentially kill us, and by the way it's also spying on us. But yet, somehow, those of us questioning the ubiquity and inevitability of AI are the naïve ones? We're the problem?
Just when you think things couldn't get *more* dystopian...
More Perfect Union@moreperfectunion.bsky.social · last mo.Anthropic Is building a surveillance system to monitor activists using a “pre-crime” approach that tries to predict incidents before they happen. The extensive monitoring system that the AI company is building is aimed primarily at keeping tabs on activists who oppose the rapid development of AI.
Great to see the CCAC raising food security. How can we claim to be feeding the world, when we can't even feed ourselves? 'The council says the State’s food security is at risk and the department should review the support schemes in place to encourage more fruit and vegetable production.'
Caroline O'Doherty@codohertynews.bsky.social · last mo."We cannot keep treating every prolonged wet period or drought as an isolated crisis" @ccacireland.bsky.social criticises Dept of Agriculture failures in cutting farm emissions & helping farmers adapt to climate change www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Imagine if you said that the company you work for had a higher than 1 in 10 chance of ending ALL human life... do you think you might get a knock on the door? www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/a...
Anthropic researcher says AI has more than 10% chance of 'killing all humans' after colleague quits
An Anthropic safety researcher said there is a greater than 10% chance AI could "kill all humans" after a former colleague quits over safety concerns.
cnbc.com
We’re calling for a Budget that matches Ireland’s climate and nature commitments. Budget 2027 is an opportunity to invest in measures that protect people & ecosystems, restore nature, provide warm homes, deliver clean energy & enable sustainable transport www.environmentalpillar.ie/budget-2027-...
The latest in a long line of efforts by the industrial agri lobby to try persuade people that Irish meat and dairy is wonderful. I don't know about you, but science be damned, having listened to this rap I am now fully persuaded... www.independent.ie/farming/am-i...
Am I old or is the new farm ad cringy?
“Cringe”. That was the word used by the person who sent me the latest “disruptive” video advertising campaign launched by Our Food Roots.
independent.ie
Then, when we sampled water from Lough Neagh, we found genes resistant to even the strongest antibiotics in the lough - which supplies drinking water to 40% of people in NI: share.google/uHFFfxs8aiqY...
‘Drinking from a fetid pond’: superbug-creating genes found in UK’s largest lake
Exclusive: Lough Neagh, which supplies drinking water for 40% of NI, contains genes resistant to last-resort antibiotics
share.google
Make this make sense. Data centres are to be offered cut price gas, on the condition that they use diesel generators when gas demand is high?! That'll be wonderful for the health of all the communities saddled with these data centres, not to mention emissions. www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Data centres in Ireland to be offered cut-price gas in return for possible supply disruption
Data-centre expansion will make it hard to source enough gas to meet demand during extreme cold events, state regulator warns
irishtimes.com
