As COP30 approaches, young Irish climate activists are taking stock of their journeys, frustrations and hopes for the future.
For many, the fight for climate justice began in their early teens, sparked not by political speeches or UN declarations, but by a deep sense of urgency and a desire to act.
It has been nearly eight years since school student Greta Thunberg stood outside the Swedish parliament, igniting a global youth-led movement known as Fridays for Future.
Thousands of Irish students joined in, bringing their protests to the gates of the Dáil and demanding stronger climate action.
RTÉ News spoke with several young people who were part of Fridays for Future to hear their reflections and thoughts on what lies ahead.
At just 14 years old, Jessica Dunne joined the movement after learning about the global climate marches in 2018.
"I had begun to understand the breadth of the climate crisis and the fact that it was going to affect the rest of my life, and the rest of my future generation's lives," she said.
"I felt really paralysed about what I could do about it."
Jessica quickly became involved in organising protests, with the goal of pushing the Irish government toward more radical climate action.
"Our government has always, as with most issues, been very rhetorically supportive of climate action," she said.
"But in terms of what they materially do, they haven't actually made structural changes that move us towards a greener future."
While she acknowledges recent reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, largely driven by changes in agriculture, Jessica believes the harder, more impactful steps, such as cutting fossil fuel use, are still being avoided.
Watch: Young people demand urgent action to tackle climate change (2022)
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Looking ahead to COP30, she remains sceptical.
"I worry it'll be the same as every COP I’ve seen before. Week one is full of talk about radical climate action, and then week two reduces everything down to the bare essentials. We don’t get strong commitments, and we stop listening to Global South voices."
Climate activists hopeful but concerns remain over progress
Also inspired by the wave of activism in 2018, Saoi O’Connor rallied students to the streets outside Cork City Hall.
"For a lot of people, it was a generational awakening to the climate crisis," Saoi said. "It was also an expression of grief, rage, and fear, coming out on the streets frequently to express that together and try to direct it somewhere."
Despite concerns about COP30, Saoi believes the real momentum behind climate justice does not come from institutions.
"It doesn’t come from politicians, governments, or UN summits. It comes from ordinary people. That’s where hope has always truly rested."
In Galway, Scott Ryder began his activism alone, sitting in Eyre Square with a handmade sign.
Today, he has mixed feelings about the progress made.
"I feel people are more aware of the climate crisis, but the fundamental change needed to reverse global warming hasn’t happened," he said.
"I hope Ireland will continue to develop in a way that supports our climate and the future of humanity."
Saoirse Exton, founder of Fridays for Future Limerick, is cautiously optimistic as she prepares to follow COP30.
Her activism began in 2018, at age 13, after seeing videos of climate strikers in Australia.
"I made a sign and sat outside a local government building," she recalled. "That’s how it started."
While Saoirse believes the situation has worsened in recent years, she remains hopeful.
"I do think things have gotten worse, unfortunately. But I believe change is possible because I think I have to believe that."
