Bohemian FC appoints Climate Justice Officer
Bohemian FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Seán McCabe as their first Climate Justice Officer. Seán is a club member and local resident of Phibsborough, and is Executive Manager of the TASC Climate Justice Centre. He recently published a flagship report The People’s Transition: Community-led development for Climate Justice, which explores how communities can build local wealth through the shared ownership of climate action. Before joining TASC, Seán worked with the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice.
He was part of a club group who met with a delegation from Hibernian FC, who visited Dalymount Park in February 2020, to educate us about their pioneering activities on climate change, which earned them the Greenest Club in Scotland Award. This meeting was inspiring and gave Bohemian FC a picture of what football clubs can achieve on environmental and climate issues. This is an area the club recognises as a priority for us all, and one in which they will strive to improve upon and to consider in all their club activities.
Seán’s new role will initially have specific focus on community-led development for climate justice and will be in partnership with other community stakeholders in Dublin 7. It will also focus on building and supporting activities internationally through the European Football Development Network (EFDN). The club will draw on best practice globally and learn from, and liaise with, the relevant bodies locally, nationally and at a European level.
Bohemian FC Chief Operating Officer Daniel Lambert said: “Climate change is an issue that we cannot escape from and cannot ignore. To now have a dedicated and qualified person at our club to enable us understand and reduce our impact on the environment is fantastic. Through our stakeholder network at the EFDN, we can contribute positively and collectively to this key issue for us all. Seán brings a wealth of experience, passion and commitment to this role, even in initial conversations he has identified numerous areas where we can take immediate positive action.”
Seán McCabe said: “Climate justice is about ensuring that the action we take to fight climate change is good for people as well as the planet. It is very exciting to see Bohs seeking to play a leadership role in tackling climate change. But the club’s ambitions go deeper than this, to having a positive impact on the community through climate action. I am looking forward to exploring how we can put the fans and the communities around Dalymount at the heart of building a better future for our children and grandchildren. The meeting with Hibs last year was a real eye-opener. There is so much that can and should be done but football clubs haven’t started playing a serious role yet. The redevelopment of Dalymount also gives us a real opportunity to become world leaders.”
