Climate Action: Latest News and Public Consultations

National Biodiversity Week 2022 launched with 100+ events across the country

12 May 2022

Over 100 events are set to take place across the country as part of ‘National Biodiversity Week 2022’, which is coordinated by the Irish Environmental Network, funded by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and supported by the Heritage Council’s network.

The initiative, which takes place from place from Friday 13 May to Sunday 22 May, aims to engage the public in a range of nature-related activities, including whale spotting, bat walks, dawn and dusk choruses, plant identification events, bioblitzes and creating community wildlife gardens. The full programme is available on www.biodiversityweek.ie.

New Joint Research Mechanism on climate and agriculture launched between Ireland and New Zealand

12 May 2022

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue, and Minister of State with special responsibility for research and innovation Martin Heydon, today launched a new landmark research initiative with the New Zealand Minister for Agriculture, Damien O’Connor M.P..

The Joint Research Mechanism (JRM) will focus on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced Carbon sequestration in ruminant, pasture-based production systems.

It comes following the signing of a Memorandum of Arrangement (MoA) governing the JRM by Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Brendan Gleeson and the Director General of New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries, Ray Smith.

Further information is available here.

Ministers announce ambitious new Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service

4 May 2022

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien and Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan today published a Strategic Action Plan for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) following government approval. The Plan sets out an ambitious timeline for a full organisational restructuring of the NPWS, and a substantial €55 million additional investment in the organisation across 3 budgetary cycles, together with the early recruitment of 60 key staff for critically important roles.

Further information is available here.

Minister Ryan opens first grid-scale solar project to connect to the national grid under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS)

29 April

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, today formally opened the first grid-scale solar project to connect to the national grid under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

Millvale solar farm, developed by Neoen, is now delivering electricity into the national grid. It is located close to Ashford in Co. Wicklow and has a generation capacity of 8MW. The farm occupies 25 hectares and has 33,600 solar modules – enough to power approximately 3,600 homes every year and avoiding 4,800 tonnes in CO2 emissions.

Further information is available here.

Minister Hackett announces establishment of Organic Forum

11 April 2022

The Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett has announced the establishment of a new Organic Forum to further develop the organic sector in Ireland. The Forum, which will have it its first meeting this Wednesday 13th April, comprises a range of stakeholders including from the farming and food processing sectors, organic certification bodies and relevant State Agencies. Forum members have been selected to include a broad range of expertise across all organic farming sectors, and this group will be the forum for discussion on all relevant issues to help the development of the Irish organic sector.

The immediate focus of the Organic Forum will be on the continued implementation of the National Organic Strategy 2025 and any related actions and supports necessary to remove the barriers to the growth of the sector.

Further information is available here.

Government announces National Biodiversity Conference to take place June 8–9

10 April 2022

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform Malcolm Noonan TD has announced the next National Biodiversity Conference at Dublin Castle on June 8-9, 2022. The event will see national and international experts come together under the theme ‘Act Now for Nature’. The conference forms part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage’s public consultation on Ireland’s fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan, which will be implemented over a period of five years.

Further information is available here.

Cabinet approves landmark Bill that will introduce world-leading moves to reduce waste and influence behaviour

30 March 2022

The Circular Economy Bill, which has been published by the government, will underpin Ireland’s shift from a “take-make-waste” linear model to a more sustainable pattern of production and consumption that will instead minimise waste to help significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

In a circular economy, waste and resource use are minimised. The use and value of products and materials is maintained for as long as possible. When a product has reached the end of its life its parts are used again and again – to create further useful products, instead of being discarded which is an all too familiar pattern now.

Further information is available here.

Minister Ryan opens first National Climate Stakeholder Forum

22 March 2022

Policy makers and key stakeholders from industry, civil society, trade unions and state bodies will explore the opportunities and challenges that come with the pressing need to accelerate climate action, at the first National Climate Stakeholder Forum being held today.

The National Forum, which takes place in Dublin Castle, is one of the key actions identified in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to drive active engagement in shaping Ireland’s sustainable future. Today’s event will focus on accelerating delivery of our national climate action priorities, in a way that is effective and fair.

Further information is available here.

Ireland moves a step closer to energy independence

21 March 2022

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan TD, today announced the commencement of the Maritime Area Consent (MAC) Regime. The new regime enables the Minister, on an interim basis, to issue Maritime Area Consents (MACs) to renewable energy developers who meet the relevant assessment criteria. Developers must have a Maritime Area Consent to make an application for permission, to include environmental assessments, to An Bord Pleanála.

The Minister will assess MAC applicants in key areas, including financial and technical competency. This assessment of potential offshore developers will ensure that only the most viable offshore projects will have the opportunity to apply for permission from An Bord Pleanála, thus streamlining the process. The first MACs are expected to be issued in the second half of 2022.

Further information is available here.

Minister Hackett publishes large-scale public survey results on forestry in Ireland

3 March 2022

The Minister of State for Biodiversity and Land Use at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Senator Pippa Hackett, today announced the results of the “Attitudes to Afforestation in Ireland” survey.

This survey was commissioned by the Minister’s Department as part of Project Woodland’s work to develop Ireland’s next National Forest Strategy. Project Woodland was established by Minister of State Hackett to implement a range of initiatives aimed at developing our forests and creating a new vision for forestry based on a shared national approach.

Further information is available here.

Minister McConalogue welcomes Stop Food Waste Day 2022

1 March 2022

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, reminded consumers today, Stop Food Waste Day, to think critically about the amount of food we waste.

Ireland’s recently published Climate Action Plan aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030. This aligns with one target of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 to ‘cut in half per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reducing food losses along production and supply chains (including post-harvest losses) by 2030’ and with commitments of Food Vision 2030 on reducing food waste.

Further information is available here.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin to attend One Ocean Summit

10 February 2022

Taoiseach Micheál Martin will attend the One Ocean Summit this Friday, being hosted by France in the city of Brest.

The Summit, being held in the context of the French Presidency of the EU Council with the support of the UN, aims to raise the collective ambition of the international community in protecting the marine environment.

The Taoiseach will join French President Emmanuel Macron and other leaders to discuss issues such as protecting ocean ecosystems, combatting plastic pollution, climate change and ocean governance.

The 4 sessions will then be followed by a working lunch for the assembled leaders.

Government launches the National Retrofitting Scheme

8 February 2022

Government has today (Tuesday, 8 February) approved a package of supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades, for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes, with lower energy bills. The measures address barriers to undertaking energy upgrades (retrofits) reported by homeowners and those working in the industry. They also reflect the step-change needed – in pace and scale of delivery – to achieve our target of 500,000 home energy upgrades, to B2 Building Energy Rating (BER) standard, by 2030.

The changes represent an important step in delivery of the National Retrofit Plan, which identifies a range of measures aimed at driving demand for retrofit, expanding the size and capacity of the supply chain, as well as making retrofits more affordable.

Further information is available here.

Minister Ryan welcomes provisional results of Electricity Capacity Auction

4 February 2022

The Minister for Environment, Climate & Communications Eamon Ryan T.D. today welcomed the publication of the provisional results of the recently held electricity capacity auction for the period commencing October 2024.

The capacity auction process, which operates on an all-island basis, is the primary method for securing new electricity generation capacity that is needed to replace the capacity of oil and coal fired stations expected to close, to support the growth of renewable electricity and to ensure security of electricity supply.

The provisional capacity auction results include over 1,100 MW of new gas-fired generation and over 120 MW of battery storage in Ireland.

Further information is available here.

Listed below are a number of open public consultation processes relating to climate action. Please get in touch and have your say.

Final Consultation on the draft of the Second SDG National Implementation Plan 2022-2024

Open for submissions from 19 May 2022

Submissions closed 14 June 2022

Agenda 2030 encourages countries to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into planning and policy, on both a national and international level. As a whole-of-government initiative overseen by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, each Minister has responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions.

The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communication are now in the process of finalising the draft of the Second SDG National Implementation Plan which will set out arrangements for interdepartmental coordination, stakeholder engagement and actions needed for further SDG Implementation from 2022 to 2024.

An initial consultation process held last summer reached over 5,000 individuals, and the feedback received has directly informed the priorities and actions of this draft Implementation Plan. The Department are now launching a final round of consultation on the draft Implementation Plan to facilitate an additional opportunity for feedback and to form the basis for discussions at the relaunch of the SDG National Stakeholder Forum.

More information is available here.

Public consultation on the Electrical Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy

Open for submissions from 5 May 2022

Submissions closed 31 May 2022

Eamon Ryan, TD, Minister for Transport, has published the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure Strategy 2022-25, and this draft is now open for public consultation prior to finalisation of the strategy by the Department of Transport later this year.

The Minister for Transport invites members of the public to take part in this consultation by completing a short questionnaire, consisting of both closed and open questions, in order to make their views known on this draft strategy, which lays out a pathway for the development of EV charging infrastructure over the crucial period out to 2025.

More information on both sets of proposals is available here.

Consultation on the Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy

Open for submissions from 8 April 2022

Submissions closed 20 May 2022

The Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy Statementsets out the pathway for delivery of a key component within Ireland’s Climate Action Plan for the transport sector, which will deliver significant CO2 emissions abatement over the coming decade.

This consultation concerns implementation of the Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy as set out in the policy statement in November 2021, and the future direction of this policy to 2030. It concerns the ambition under the National Climate Action Plan as well as the implementation of the renewable fuel elements of the recast Renewable Energy Directive (‘REDII’) and consideration of the EU fit for 55 proposals.

Therefore, the Department of Transport are keen to gather your views as stakeholders in the development and implementation of this policy.

More information is available here.

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