Philip Boucher-Hayes
@philipb-h.bsky.social
Mostly a journalist. Mostly RTÉ Radio and Television (Ireland). Mostly climate, farming, nature. Never said no to a Ginger Snap biscuit.
The other explanation for recent weather is that someone flung us on to the surface of the sun for reference purposes.
Paul Byrne@theplanetaryguy.com · 7h agoThis is the highest-resolution view of the surface of the Sun. Ever. Taken by the NSF's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, features as small as 19 km across can be resolved. The wispy things are magnetic field boundaries formed by Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. The island of Ireland for scale.
A smouldering fire in Glenasmole in Dublin reignited overnight after a change in wind direction helped the fire find new fuel. It crossed the Featherbeds and down into Glencree in Wicklow. Strap in for wildfire stats🧵 #Climate #Wildfire #Speirgorm
I made a programme five years ago that included #wildfire experts saying that Ireland was going to need to start thinking more like a Mediterranean country. There was a good deal of sniggering. We might owe them an apology. #Speirgorm #Climate Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/podcas...
Projections for farming productivity by 2100 under mid to upper level #climate emissions scenarios expressed in terms of numbers of people fed. Detail available down to 10km² cadi.econai.org/ssp370_relat...
There is going to be a rash of these kind of stories about Ireland’s attempt to pull a stroke. Whether they are or aren’t warranted depends entirely on what the Irish government does next. 🧵 (And yes, it’s burps not farts, and Greenpeace should know that)
Greenpeace EU@greenpeace.eu · 3w agoSilent but violent, cows' and other farm animals' farts (agricultural methane) heat the planet 80 times more than CO2 over a 20-year time frame But Ireland wants the EU to give cow farts a free pass, raising serious questions about its claim to be a climate leader www.desmog.com/2026/07/14/c...
It’s baffling how Net Zero is now being used as a synonym for runaway eco-radicalism that threatens our way of life. But when I made this programme two years ago Net Zero was agreed by all to be common sense and achievable. Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Ep 23 – Net Zero
Will climate action work? If we spend trillions on a Green Transition what are the chances we will get Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050? Philip speaks to one of the few people with right mix of skill...
rte.ie
Takeaway from this week’s #RTECountrywide: Irish farmers and farm animals are more acutely in need of us taking #climate action than most, but Irish farming is at a standstill on cutting emissions. #Speirgorm Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Heat Stress on Farms
We looked at challenges farmers are facing , dairy farmers in particular as they try to look after animals that were not designed for these temperatures and adapt to climate shifts. Vet Ryan Duffy wor...
rte.ie
I made a film with very talented film makers. It’s in the Galway Film Fleadh. Going to the movies tomorrow morning might feel like poor timing. But seeing this film during the hottest year in recorded human civilisation, isn’t. #Climate #Speirgorm www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/project/glob...
Global Warning - Galway Film Fleadh
galwayfilmfleadh.com
“Ah sure, there’s always been as many days this hot” No, there hasn’t
When it comes to protecting rivers and lakes there’s really good and bad farmers. What if neither is the real problem? What if it’s the system? #RTÉcountrywide #SpeirGorm Listen: 👉 dj.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
“The government has thoroughly disowned this report. As unpopular in their view as a fart in a submarine.” But without it we get developer led planning of the Irish countryside and even more missed targets. The govt washes its hands of the Land Use Review. Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Land Use review report
Philip Boucher Hayes, presenter of RTÉ Radio 1’s Countrywide
rte.ie
A year after receiving it the government has published its Land Use Review. But … Published “without being adopted by government”. And “it is not an articulation of government policy”. Neither is it “a new strategy in relation to land use”. That’s a long barge pole. 🧵#SpeirGorm
I went Stone Lifting with David Keohan. Archaeologist, anthropologist, strong man, and great company. #SpeirGorm #RTECountrywide Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Nothing as hot and humid as this week’s Europe wide heatwave has ever happened before and it would have been impossible without Climate Change. #SpeirGorm #Climate #Heatwave Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
True story. I bought the thermal jacket in this pic in a mad rush. We were filming for a half a day in Greenland before the cameraman stood up, put the camera down and roared (justifiable) abuse at me for wasting everyone’s time. The security tag was pinned to the collar. Every shot ruined. 🤦♂️
I made a feature length documentary film, and it’s in the official selection for The Galway Film Fleadh. It’d be great if I don’t end up in the cinema on my own. #Climate #SpeirGorm www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/project/glob...
Global Warning - Galway Film Fleadh
galwayfilmfleadh.com
The heat dome is caused by wobbles in the Jet Stream. I made a programme with one of the world’s leading researchers that explains what’s happening. #Climate #HotMess #SpeirGorm Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
One fifth of the breadbasket of Europe is no longer producing food. (Sound up)
Israeli army salting the earth in Lebanon with glyphosate. Russian drone attacks on orchard workers in Ukraine. Leaving fields unplanted because of rising fertiliser costs as people die of starvation around you. Warzone farming on #RTECountrywide today. Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
At the very least 4,500 homes will be lost to coastal erosion between now and 2050. Relocation or coastal defence will be very expensive. A figure in the billions whether you stay or retreat. But there is a cost neutral alternative. 🧵 1/ www.irishtimes.com/environment/...
Irish coastal communities face erosion in ‘urgent crisis’ and need relocation, report says
Climate Change Advisory Council paper says preparations for land loss to sea needed now
irishtimes.com
Ireland is being taken to the European court for failing to protect its raised bogs. Potential fines in the tens of millions if the state loses. I talked to the people still extracting the peat. TLDR: It’s nuanced. #RTECountrywide Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
It’s #WorldOceansDay We just did a full #RTECountrywide on why Marine Protected Areas are now critical. Listen: 👉 dj.rte.ie/radio/radio1... The map is a Spillhaus Projection of the globe I keep on my office wall as a reminder of why the oceans matter.
“To be blunt, there is no path to meet that outcome” - Willie Walsh A big blow to his promise on behalf of the industry of “guilt-free flying”.
Airline industry chiefs say 2050 net zero goal now unlikely
Iata boss Willie Walsh blames fuel suppliers, governments and aircraft makers, saying new ‘realistic timeline’ now needed
theguardian.com
Marine Protected Areas are a tricky balancing act. Last chance for marine habitats versus last straw for fishing industry. The science is absolutely clear. Remove human activity, especially bottom trawling and they will restore. #RTECountrywide #FairSeas 🧵 Listen:👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Do Marine Protected Areas work?
Marine Biologist, Ben Harris, has scientific evidence that MPAs work.
rte.ie
Scorched Earth I took this today following a wildfire in the Dublin Hills at the weekend. Nothing survived. 1/🧵
I researched the range of scientific opinion on the possible collapse of the AMOC. They disagree on a lot, but were united on the need to gather every last scrap of research data possible. This is digging up tomorrow to burn it today. #climate #speirgorm 1/2 www.nytimes.com/2026/06/01/c...
Trump Administration to Dismantle Ocean Monitoring System
nytimes.com
How are we doing on our 2030 climate targets? A better question might be - How is ireland doing on the 2020 target? We still havent reached it and wont until 2029 at the earliest. Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1... #climate #speirgorm
How well are we doing at meeting our emissions targets?
Last week's publication of Ireland's latest set of Climate Change targets led to a ping-pong flurry of claim and counter claim about how we are doing. Philip Boucher-Hayes, presenter of RTE Radio's Ho...
rte.ie
Why is Ireland failing on climate and nature targets? Govt has shied away from releasing the national plan that would provide clear direction on what goes where. The Land Use Review remains unpublished 17 months after completion. #RTECountrywide #SpeirGorm Listen: 👉 www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...
Where is the Land Use Review
There isn't enough land in the country to do all the things we have set targets for. 17 months ago government received a report setting out what land uses needed to be prioritised. Where is it?
rte.ie
