Climate, Sustainability and the Environment

At Irish and EU level,  we see legislative initiatives focussed on waste recycling, regulation of waste industries together with specific legislation regarding protection of the Environment.

The Climate Action Plan describes these initiatives generally as an opportunity to create jobs and business in sectors operating to support alternative fuel generation, recycling, and home renovation and retrofitting. In this context we have included proposals for Irish legislation but given the importance of EU initiatives we have particularly highlighted proposals for EU legislation, whether these are proposed Regulations or Directives.

However, in many cases you will find that existing EU legislation is being revised and amended and revised with some intensity and details are provided in the legislative summaries in the Horizon Tracker. Similarly in relation to provisions designed to address climate change, developments are driven by the EU at quite a fast pace with many of these proposals arising under the EU’s policy agenda. The Irish government will, of course, have to respond to these initiatives appropriately through the transposition of Directives and implementation of Regulations.

Addressing sources of energy, whether it is fossil fuels like gas or the support of alternative and renewable energy resources, is a key action point in the space of climate action and preservation of the environment more generally.

Also included are specific legislative initiatives in relation to the environment which can range from the Circular Economy Bill to legislation focusing on preservation such as the Inland Fisheries Bill. Of increasing importance in the Environmental Law space is the issue of fair procedure and access to justice for activists, hence the initiative concerning the Aarhus Convention Bill.