Pollution doubles bathing water closures
Water quality at nearly all bathing sites in Ireland met minimum EU standards last year, but the number of pollution incidents more than doubled, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has…
Ireland ‘unnecessarily dependent’ and exposed to energy shocks, warns climate council
Ireland is “unnecessarily dependent” on imported fossil fuels and “exposed” to global energy shocks, the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has warned. Ireland’s emissions from electricity generation fell last year,…
Can Ireland ramp-up green hydrogen?
It is often touted as part of the solution to Europe’s energy future, but is Ireland really on track to be part of a green hydrogen ‘revolution’? Hydrogen is a…
Ireland to fail recycling targets, warns EPA
Ireland will fail to reach another recycling target without a concerted effort, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned. By 2025, Ireland committed to EU targets to recycle at least…
Ireland must designate marine zones to seabirds and dolphins, demands European Commission
The European Commission has urged Ireland to complete its network of marine conservation zones or face legal action. Under the EU’s Habitats Directive, member states are required to designate areas…
EU demands Ireland charge plastics producers clean-up costs
Plastics producers should be reimbursing local councils in Ireland for the cost of cleaning up pollution, the European Commission says. The EU’s Single Use Plastics Directive, is supposed to “prevent…
Record extreme heat off Irish coast
Extreme heat was repeatedly registered in the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Ireland last year, according to the EU’s climate service. Parts of the ocean experienced their warmest temperatures…
Eco project to monitor uninhabited islands
A new project will study environmental change on six of Ireland’s remote and uninhabited islands, Irish Lights has announced. The LIGHTHOUSE project (“Leveraging Island LiGhthouses and Harnessing Technology to examine…
Greenhouse gas emissions reach record low
EU greenhouse gas emission have fallen to their lowest level in modern times, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has announced. By 2024 – the latest available data – the European…
Heat pumps and emission reductions way off target, warns ESRI
Ireland is unlikely to meet 2030 targets for retrofitting homes, installing heat pumps or reducing emissions, a report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has warned. The government…