Organisation information
DPENDR Climate Action Roadmap
From Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Published on
Last updated on
The Programme for Government commits Ireland to reducing carbon emissions by 51% by 2030, or an average 7% per annum over the decade, and becoming a climate neutral economy by no later than 2050. The Programme for Government includes a further commitment that Ministers would direct every agency and office under the aegis of their respective Departments to adopt the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate to support climate action within their own operations and among their clients and suppliers. The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act, 2021 gives legal underpinning to climate action by the public sector. It requires all public bodies to perform their functions in a manner that is consistent with Ireland’s climate ambition.
The Climate Action Roadmap is a document to be produced by public bodies which communicates how each public body aims to meet the requirements of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate and reach its 2030 carbon and energy efficiency targets. This requirement applies to all public bodies, other than Local Authorities, commercial semi-state bodies and schools, all of whom have their own requirements.
The Public Sector Mandate requires public sector bodies to show leadership in climate action by progressing, and reporting on, the actions of the Mandate based on four key pillars: Our Targets; Our People; Our Way of Working; and Our Buildings and Vehicles. The original Public Sector Mandate was approved by Government on 4th July, 2022 and issued to all Departments by the Minster for Environment, Climate and Communications, and has been updated a number of times since. The adoption of the Mandate will support public sector bodies leading by example in demonstrating the necessary climate action to reduce Ireland’s GHG emissions by 51% by 2030.
Based on the relevant actions set out in the current Public Sector Mandate and a guidance document issued by the SEAI and the EPA in 2024, the updated high-level roadmap outlines how the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will progress work in these areas, under the oversight of the Governance and Risk Committee and the Management Board (with updates also being provided to the Climate Sub-Committee as and when required).
