Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

BirdLife Europe & Central Asia @birdlifeeurope.bsky.social · 3h

⚠️𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆.⚠️

Once again, this assault on environmental safeguards is being sold as “simplification.” It’s not simplification, it’s dismantling. And it’s a betrayal of both nature and farmers.

1 11 23

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 2d

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement will benefit a handful of big corporations while driving deforestation, the climate crisis and exposing small-scale farmers to unfair competition.

Take action now and say no to this toxic trade deal.

www.environmentalpillar.ie/stopeumercos...

Take action: Stop the climate-wrecking EU-Mercosur Trade Deal - The Environmental Pillar

The EU-Mercosur trade agreement will benefit a handful of big corporations while driving deforestation, the climate crisis and exposing small-scale farmers to unfair competition. Join our call and say...

www.environmentalpillar.ie

1 9 13

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

Environmental Pillar @envpillar.bsky.social · 2d

The EU-Mercosur deal brings little economic benefit but huge social & climate damage. We need fair & green trade—not continuing climate-wrecking business as usual. #StopEUMercosur Join our call & say no to this toxic trade deal. Email your ministers & MEPs: www.environmentalpillar.ie/stopeumercos...

3 5

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 2d

"It's possible to reverse our way out of loss and extinction; there’s nothing inevitable about it. To stay silent in the face of it is, in the end, an active choice. Hope feels like an indulgence we can no longer afford; what’s needed is people coming together to act"
share.google/Z1Mmpr5RXpaX...

There’s nothing inevitable about extinction. It’s possible to reverse our way out

Success stories including the leaf-toed gecko in the Galápagos, the wood white butterfuly in Wales and the corncrake in Ireland give hope

share.google

15 33

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 3d

Nowhere illustrates better than the Burren how farmers can be stewards of nature, and how protecting nature can, in turn, help preserve communities in marginal areas.

share.google/CUG0oB54RvbD...

Climate Changemakers: The trust preserving the Burren’s unique landscape and species

‘The Burren is often portrayed as a wild, ecologically rich place – which, in many ways, it is,” says Áine Bird, CEO of the Burrenbeo Trust. The Burrenbeo Trust is a charity founded in 2008 that advoc...

share.google

2 10

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 4d

Yes it would be good to at least preserve some of the old machinery. They would be great features to break up the monotany of the straight railway lines.

1

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 4d

Its a new era now and its important everyone makes sure that the bogs are used in a way that benefits communities and nature.

1

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 4d

The network of railway lines through Bord Na Mona bogs makes them well suited for the development of recreation & ecotourism. The approval of new greenways on Rocsommon Bogs is positive but now we need to see commitment to ambitious nature restoration. share.google/mYHgmkLppU9u...

Roscommon to get €1.5 million greenway after county council grants approval

A greenway through former Bord na Móna lands in east Roscommon has received formal planning permission from Roscommon County Council.

share.google

1 4 10

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 4d

You can't ask for more compelling evidence than that of the impact your work.

1 8

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 4d

"A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape, is hereby recognized as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain." – Howard Zahniser, US Wilderness Act 1964.

7

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

WWF EU @wwf.eu · 5d

Hey, @ec.europa.eu, @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu, you dropped your "simplification" mask!

1 5 21

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 5d

"Wolves and their prey all significantly feared humans."

Wolves fear us more than we fear them and with good reason

Mammal Research Institute PAS @mripas.bsky.social · 5d

Our new article shows: The 'big bad wolf' fears us. Would you have thought? authors.elsevier.com/c/1lt5E3QW8S...
Photo by Rafał Kowalczyk. @currentbiology.bsky.social
@kathikasper.bsky.social

1 7

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 5d

The Commission can't standover what they are doing to environmental protection under the trojan horse of simplification. Decades of progress is being undone.

4 7

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 6d

Its positive to see the IFA calling for dedicated funding for farmers for Nature Restoration.
Farmers are willing to play their part. FFG made promises and now its time to deliver.
www.ifa.ie/farm-sectors...

Budget '26 Must Deliver for Farmers - Irish Farmers' Association

IFA Farm Business Chair Bill O’Keeffe has called on the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and the Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers to ensure that Ireland’s most important indigenous se...

www.ifa.ie

1 4 14

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 6d

"Fish kills, polluted drinking water, declining wildlife populations, and increased emissions are a direct result of politicians’ policy decisions".
www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Catherine Conlon: We are choosing business over nature every single time

Fish kills, polluted drinking water, declining wildlife populations, and increased emissions are a direct result of politicians’ policy decisions

www.irishexaminer.com

1 10 18

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

Environmental Pillar @envpillar.bsky.social · 7d

Great to be at the handover of #HandsOffNature signatures to European Commissioner for the Environment Jessika Roswall. Nearly 200,000 EU citizens sent their messages urging the Commission not to touch the laws that protect our water, air, biodiversity, and much more

3 15

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 7d

Brussels quote of the day:

"A certain Member State. A southern one. I’m not going to say. Looks like a boot.”

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

WWF EU @wwf.eu · 7d

🚌 Ready to roll!

Our own OmniBus is hitting the streets today

Citizens are speaking up against the deregulation of environmental laws, and we’re bringing their message

@ec.europa.eu: don’t throw nature under the bus!
#HandsOffNature

1 22 43

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 8d

Ireland needs more land for nature restoration. Acquiring key habitats will help meet our legal obligations which will ultimately help farmers, but this must complement — not replace — supports for sustainable farming
www.independent.ie/farming/news...?

Hill farmers frustrated with State’s land buys for rewilding as NPWS expands footprint

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) accused the Government of prioritising land purchases for rewilding ahead of supporting farmers, as the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS)...

www.independent.ie

3 10

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 9d

Out with the summer salads and in with winter greens. In a world of Monsantos there is something very wholesome about Irish Seed Savers hand packaging heritage, open-pollinated vegetable varieties 🌱

3 32

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 9d

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’ - and all the Commission seem interested in doing is throwing more fuel on the fire.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Environmental damage is putting European way of life at risk, says report

EU officials warn climate breakdown and wildlife loss ‘are ruining ecosystems that underpin the economy’

www.theguardian.com

3 22 50

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 9d

Ireland’s natural environment in ‘very poor’ condition, EU analysis finds - water quality, habitats and species all suffering www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2025...

Ireland’s natural environment in ‘very poor’ condition, EU analysis finds

European Environment Report - news (analysis piece to follow) Embargoed to Sunday night 11pm

www.irishtimes.com

2 10 26

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 9d

The life-changing power of awe - Time in Nature improves our mental health, with an almost immediate reduction in stress. Nature restoration would make us healthier & happier share.google/LIDQ8xJBjgDv...

The life-changing power of awe

Your brain isn’t built for endless stress. This overlooked emotion can hit the reset button.

share.google

1 8

Fintan Kelly @fintankelly.bsky.social · 10d

Spain has become Europe’s standout economy - and that growth has been in no small part fuelled by renewable energy investment & immigration from South America.
share.google/5TCOm7QBXUHA...

Spain has become Europe’s standout economy

But it must combine immigration-led growth with productivity improvements

share.google

2 3

Reposted by Fintan Kelly

Elaine McGoff @elainemcgoff.bsky.social · 12d

So that's it then. The biggest fish kill in the history of the State, and we're just going to move on, with no idea who or what caused it?

It would be better to label it a river kill.

Some major polluter is today breathing a sign of relief, while the river Blackwater remains half dead.

🧵

www.fisheriesireland.ie

5 24 56