Ireland

Ireland must submit a Social Climate Plan (SCP) to the European Commission by 30 June 2025, outlining how it will use EU Social Climate Fund (SCF) resources to address the social impacts of the new EU Emissions Trading System 2 (ETS2), which extends carbon pricing to buildings and road transport. Although Ireland has a derogation from ETS2 from 2027 to...

The 2023 Linking the Irish Environment (LIE) Report examined cross-border environmental cooperation in Ireland and recommended creating an all-island civil society forum, which was held in 2024. The forum highlighted ongoing questions about environmental governance and the evolving complexities introduced by post-Brexit arrangements, particularly under the Windsor Framework. This short report aims to clarify these legal and political developments affecting...

The Social Climate Fund (SCF) is part of the European Union's Fit for 55 package and is the first fund dedicated to counterbalancing the negative socio-economic effects of the extension of the Emissions Trading System (ETS 2) that will apply to the transport and heating & cooling sectors.1 Social Climate Plans (SCPs) outline how Member States will allocate SCF resources...

This joint assessment represents the collaborative work of the Environmental Justice Network Ireland (EJNI), and the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition Ireland.  This document is an assessment of Ireland’s final draft NECP.

This document is a compilation or ‘bibliography’ of research and resources connected to the concept of a ‘Just and Fair Transition’. {update: 24th Nov 2025}

The following statement on behalf of the Environmental Justice Network of Ireland will highlight some key recent challenges to Access to Justice and upcoming developments. These include the presentation of a Bill in Ireland that seeks to drastically reduce access to justice in environmental matters, in the name of speeding up the planning process, a review of the missed opportunities...

This presentation summarises issues identified in two separate but related collaborative research projects on cross border environmental co-operation and justice issues : 1) “Finding Common Ground” an all-island study of the implementation of the Aarhus Convention in Ireland/Northern Ireland which was conducted collaboratively with Irish and Northern Irish NGOs and academics 2) “Linking the Irish Environment”, this research sought to...

This report summarises issues identified in the climate governance architecture of the EU, focusing on access to information in relation to the preparation of the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs).

Summary The European Climate Law requires the European Commission to propose an intermediate climate target for 2040. The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC) has recommended that the EU should adopt a domestic target of 90-95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. The 2040 target is not a new target but is an interim target to help...