The Environment: Ireland’s Green Deal

The European Green Deal is the EU’s ambitious framework to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. It encompasses a range of initiatives designed to transform the EU into a resource-efficient, competitive circular economy that is fair and inclusive.

Key Pillars of the European Green Deal include:

1. Energy and Climate Action

• Fit for 55 Package: Aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. The Commission has proposed a target of 90% reduction by 2040.
• REPowerEU: Accelerates the transition to renewable energy, reduces dependency on Russian fossil fuels, and strengthens energy security.
• Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2024): Provides a legal framework to reduce emissions and energy consumption in homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals, and other public buildings, ensuring improved energy efficiency.

2. Green Deal Industrial Plan

• Focuses on scaling up clean technology manufacturing to secure Europe’s leadership in the green economy.
• Encourages investment and innovation in renewable energy, batteries, and hydrogen production to strengthen Europe’s global competitiveness.
• Net-Zero Industry Act (2024): Supports large-scale production of net-zero technologies within the EU.
• Critical Raw Materials Act (2024): Ensures a sustainable supply of essential materials needed for green technologies.

3. Biodiversity and Nature Restoration

• EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Focuses on halting biodiversity loss and restoring at least 20% of degraded ecosystems.
• EU Nature Restoration Law (2024): Targets wetlands, rivers, forests, and marine areas for restoration.
• Soil Monitoring Law: Strengthens the resilience of EU food systems by promoting sustainable soil management and encouraging the use of climate-resilient crops.

4. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems

• Farm to Fork Strategy: Promotes sustainable farming, reduces pesticide use, and supports fair, healthy, and climate-friendly food systems.
• Food Waste Reduction Targets: Legally binding targets to cut food waste by 10% in processing and manufacturing, and by 30% in shops, restaurants, and homes by 2030.

5. Circular Economy and Consumer Protection

• Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism: Ensures imported goods meet EU environmental standards by encouraging cleaner production methods.
• Durability and Reparability Measures: Makes goods repairable and energy-efficient throughout their lifecycle.
• Ban on Greenwashing: Prevents companies from providing misleading claims about their products’ eco-friendliness.
• Revised Packaging Waste Laws: Encourages reusable packaging and supports clearer recycling labelling.

6. Healthier Communities and Environments

• Ambient Air Quality Directives: Align air quality standards with scientific evidence and introduce compensation rights for pollution victims.
• Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive: Ensures cleaner waterways and promotes cost-effective treatment solutions.

7. Social Equity and Just Transition

• Support mechanisms such as the Just Transition Fund, Social Climate Fund, and EU Civil Protection Mechanism provide aid to vulnerable communities and regions reliant on carbon-intensive industries.

European Green Deal 

EU Energy Climate change, Environment

Delivering on the Fit for 55 proposals

Green Deal Industrial Plan 

Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 

Farm to Fork strategy 

Circular economy 

The Just Transition Mechanism 

The fight to protect the planet from climate change is ongoing, and the Commission continues to propose and introduce measures to achieve Green Deal ambitions.

At the November 2024 COP29 Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, the European Commission unveiled its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR), a significant milestone in the implementation of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming.

The report highlights the EU’s progress toward its climate goals and shows that by 2022 the EU had reduced its net greenhouse gas emissions by 31.8% compared to 1990 levels. Preliminary 2023 data indicates a further 8% drop.

The BTR also emphasises EU support for developing countries in the fight against climate change. In 2023, the EU and its Member States provided €28.6 billion in public climate finance and €7.2 billion in private finance to help developing countries cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.

Delivering the European Green Deal 

European Union Biennial Transparency Report 

All EU Member States need to demonstrate how EU climate targets will be met at national level through regularly updated National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs). Draft NECPs are analysed by the European Commission and an overall assessment with country-specific recommendations are provided before Member States submit their final NECPs.

Ireland’s most recent NECP was submitted and approved in July 2024 after recommendations from an earlier draft were addressed and following a public consultation. The updated NECP reflects both Ireland’s and the European Union’s increased ambition on energy and climate targets, as outlined in the Fit for 55 legislative package. Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2024 (CAP24) outlines specific measures to support the goals of the NECP.

The NECP and CAP24 address several key areas critical for Ireland’s climate strategy:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Ireland aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 42% by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) projects Ireland will fall short, achieving up to a 29% reduction unless additional measures are implemented. CAP24 outlines pathways to help address this predicted shortfall including decarbonising electricity generation and improving energy efficiency.
• Renewable Energy: The NECP sets a target for 80% renewable electricity generation by 2030, primarily driven by auctions under the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS). Challenges remain in fully achieving this goal but Ireland has introduced schemes that encourage small-scale solar PV installations through the Micro-Generation Support Scheme (MSS) and is focusing on expanding its offshore wind power capacity.
• Energy Efficiency: Ireland’s NECP includes targets to significantly improve energy efficiency. CAP24 highlights comprehensive measures across various sectors, such as retrofitting homes and buildings to improve insulation. In 2023 alone, over 48,000 Irish homes were retrofitted under government schemes aimed at reducing energy consumption. 
• Energy Poverty: The NECP aims to tackle energy poverty comprehensively. CAP24 includes measures aimed at making the green transition affordable for all, such as providing grants for home retrofits and subsidies for low-income households to install renewable energy systems like solar panels.

The European Commission has been instrumental in supporting and encouraging the Irish Government to take actions, such as protecting Irish peat bog habitats, to help Ireland reach its climate change targets. These bogs are vital carbon sinks but have been severely degraded by generations of land reclamation and turf-cutting. Only about 1% of Ireland’s raised bogs remain after centuries of exploitation. 

The Irish Government has invested in restoring peat bogs, but it has faced criticism for not doing enough to halt turf cutting in some areas. Despite several EU-funded restoration projects, damage continues and the European Commission has repeatedly called on Ireland to stop peat cutting since 2011. In March 2024, the Commission referred Ireland to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to fully apply the Habitats Directive. In addition to issues related to peat bog protection, Ireland has also been referred to the Court of Justice for other environmental non-compliance issues, including:

• Failing to prevent invasive alien species from damaging ecosystems.
• Failing to correctly transpose the Water Framework Directive into national law.
• Failing to comply with requirements under the Drinking Water Directive.

In November 2024, the European Commission sent Ireland a letter of formal notice for failing to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment directive. Anassessment on the health of Europe’s water bodies, published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in 2024, found Europe is not on track to meet its targets to improve the health of waters under EU rules.

National energy and climate plans

Ireland’s National Energy and Climate Plan

Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2024 

Applying EU environmental law

EEA Report: Europe's state of water 2024 

Commission refers Ireland to the Court of Justice

Commission calls on Ireland to comply with EU legislation on urban waste water 

Europe becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 requires significant investment from both the public and private sectors. The European Green Deal Investment Plan creates a framework to facilitate this transition, aiming to stimulate sustainable investments of at least €1 trillion between 2020 and 2030.

The Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) is the investment plan’s key financial tool for providing targeted support to regions and sectors most affected by the transition towards the green economy. Ireland’s Territorial Just Transition Plan has EU funding of €84.5 million and with Irish Government co-funding provides for investments of up to €169 million. This funding is primarily focused on the economic transition of the Midlands region, which has been heavily impacted by the phasing out of peat extraction.

The European Commission estimates that potential funding from EU sources to Ireland between 2021 and 2027 could amount to up to €13.3 billion. This includes contributions from various EU programmes such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the Just Transition Fund (JTF).

Ireland’s €914 million Recovery and Resilience Plan, developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, also supports the green transition. Almost 42% of this funding is allocated to climate-related investments and reforms, including:

• €164 million for upgrading Cork’s commuter rail system to encourage a shift from private car usage.
• €155 million for energy efficiency measures in residential and public buildings across Ireland.
• €20 million to carry out feasibility studies on 20 small wastewater treatment plants around Ireland and upgrade at least 10.

Funding through the Commission’s five EU Missions is another way of supporting the green transition. One of these Missions aims to create over 100 climate-neutral and smart cities in the EU by 2030, including Dublin and Cork. Both Irish cities are making progress, with Dublin launching its Climate Neutral Dublin 2030 plan in 2024 while Cork’s Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 outlines over 119 actions geared towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2030. 

The two cities are utilising EU support to secure funding and accelerate their climate goals. The Cities Mission received €360 million of Horizon Europe funding covering the period 2022/23 to start innovation paths towards climate neutrality and the Climate City Capital Hub financial initiative launched by the European Commission in 2024 provides cities with access to public and private financing, as well as technical assistance.

Explainer: European Green Deal Investment Plan and Just Transition Mechanism

Ireland’s recovery and resilience plan

Cities Mission 

LIFE is the EU's flagship funding programme for nature, biodiversity protection and the fight against climate change. The €5.4 billion LIFE programme for 2021-2027 includes funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

Examples of projects benefitting from LIFE funding in Ireland include:

• The LIFE SNaP Ireland project is a €33.9 million plan led by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), along with the Department of Agriculture and Coillte Nature. It aims to gather and share important information about nature conservation in Ireland, find new ways to fund nature restoration, and carry out important conservation work. The project will run for nine years, from 2024 to 2032.
• The LIFE REPLAR project will build a special factory in Limerick to recycle waste from consumer packaging. This factory will use less energy and water to turn old plastic film into new plastic pellets that can be used again. It will be able to recycle about 11,000 tonnes each year and could serve as a blueprint for future plastic recycling plants across Europe.
• The Easy procurement of energy performance contracts (EasyPro) project will make it easier for Irish universities to get energy-performance contracts (EPC). The project integrates the needs of universities, energy experts, and investors to streamline the EPC procurement process at University College Cork, Technological University Dublin, Maynooth University and Dublin City University. Over €45 million will be unlocked for energy efficiency and renewables at the university sites. 
• The BUSHROSSs project coordinated by University College Cork brings together experts from Ireland, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, Ukraine, and Slovenia to train people working for government and energy agencies on how to run One-Stop-Shops (OSSs). These shops will help homeowners make homes more energy-efficient through renovations. The goal is to speed up home renovations and improve health and wellbeing by making homes more energy-efficient.
• The MPA LIFE Ireland project aims to create a network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) covering 30% of Ireland’s seas by 2030. The goal is to keep the marine environment healthy by expanding and improving these protected areas. This will be done by working together with marine experts and local communities to plan and manage the areas.
• The €20 million LIFE IP Wild Atlantic Nature project is working on conserving and protecting blanket bog habitat in five north west counties of Ireland - Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Galway. The benefits of the project and the engagement with various communities from schoolchildren to farmers is so wide that the project won the 2024 Natura 2000 Award in the ‘Working together for nature category.
• The 7-year €10 million LIFE Integrated Project, Peatlands and People, has been making improvements across more than 9,900 hectares of peatlands in the midlands since 2020.

Successful Irish LIFE programmes 

Keeping Ireland Green – Irish environmental success stories

1. Temperature Increase: Ireland’s average temperature has risen by approximately 1°C over the last century, with 16 of the 20 warmest years recorded since 1990.
2. Air Quality Concerns: While Ireland meets many current air quality standards, it does not meet the stricter World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for pollutants like fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide.
3. Water Quality Challenges: There has been no significant net improvement in the quality of river and lake water in recent years, and the number of monitored estuaries in satisfactory condition has sharply declined.
4. Biodiversity Loss: About 85% of Ireland’s EU-protected habitats are in an unfavourable state, and over half of native plant species are experiencing decline.
5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Although emissions have begun to decrease, Ireland remains one of the highest emitters per capita in the EU, which poses a challenge to meeting its 2030 targets.
6. Waste Management Issues: Ireland’s circular economy and waste management are currently rated as poor, with increasing waste generation and reliance on export markets for recycling.
    

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for the Environment

European Environment Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency