
Rally Calls on Political Leaders to Support an Ambitious Nature Restoration Law
/IMMEDIATE RELEASE 30 May 2023 A coalition of leading environmental organisations are rallying together from across Ireland in a call for political leaders to support an ambitious Nature Restoration Law. At the Rally to Restore Nature, scientists, activists, community leaders and other members of society will demand that restoration of nature be placed at the […]
Read moreReport exposes serious faults in Government backed Planning Bill
/IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5 May 2023 The Environmental Pillar, an advocacy coalition of 32 environmental non-governmental organisations, is demanding that leaders in Government pause and re-evaluate their strategy on the proposed new Planning Bill1. Government must listen to and address the major concerns that have come forward from a diverse range of stakeholders on the delays, […]
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Ireland’s Biodiversity at a Critical Juncture
/The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss issued a final report today with 159 recommendations on how Ireland can improve its response to the biodiversity crisis. The report underscores the serious and chronic failure by the State to adequately fund and enforce existing laws to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The 99 members of the Citizens’ […]
Read moreLetter to Ministers re: the need to reform the legal mandates of Coillte, Bord Na Móna and other public bodies
| Leave a CommentDear Ministers, We, the Environmental Pillar, Stop Climate Chaos and the Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) are strongly of the view that public land must be utilised in the public interest and that all public bodies must be mandated to lead in Ireland’s response to climate change and biodiversity loss. The Irish people should have a […]
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Coillte, Bord Na Móna and other public bodies in urgent need of reform
/ | Leave a CommentIMMEDIATE RELEASE 16 February 2023 In a letter sent to Irish Ministers and other elected officials this week, the Environmental Pillar, Stop Climate Chaos Coalition and Sustainable Water Network called on the Government to amend mandates and legislation to ensure public bodies are fit to deliver on Ireland’s climate, biodiversity, and water objectives. A lack […]
Read moreEnvironmental Pillar (2022) Coillte’s Strategic Vision For Its Future Forest Estate
| Leave a CommentThis is a submission on behalf of the Environmental Pillar in response to the public consultation on Coillte’s strategic vision for its future forest estate. Our submission is informed by the decades of experience of our members who are actively involved in woodland conservation, sustainable forestry management, regulation of the forestry sector and wider environmental […]
Read moreGovernment planning bill brings more dysfunction, delay and uncertainty for housing
| Leave a CommentIMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 January 2023 Deeply troubling changes to Ireland’s planning legislation have been proposed by the Government with the publication of the Draft Planning and Development Bill 2022. The bill makes fundamental changes to the current system of access to justice in the Planning and Development Act 2000. If passed, the Bill would drastically […]
Read moreOnly an ambitious Nature Restoration Law will deliver for Irish peatlands
/ | Leave a CommentIMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 December 2022 A report from the Environmental Pillar highlights that a new EU law could present a golden opportunity for Ireland to meet its national commitments for peatland restoration while investing in farm communities to protect peatlands. The proposed Nature Restoration Law contains a range of actions and targets to cut greenhouse […]
Read moreEnvironmental Pillar Letter to PEFC International Calling for the Suspension of Draft PEFC Irish National Forest Standard Public consultation on behalf of PEFC Social and Environmental Stakeholder Group
| Leave a CommentTo the Directors of PEFC International. I am writing to you on behalf of the Environmental Pillar, an organisation that works to represent the views of 32 of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs. We work to promote environmental sustainability and the protection of our natural environment. We are the largest NGO stakeholder in the PEFC process, […]
Read moreMajor planning changes proposed before and after Christmas
| Leave a CommentIMMEDIATE RELEASE 13 December 2022 Today at cabinet the Government approved a new consolidated Planning Bill on foot of the review of the Attorney General of the Planning and Development Act1, with the changes to the Act to be advanced within the Oireachtas in the new year. The outline2 for this bill published today is raising […]
Read moreSupporting greater ambition for Ireland’s Peatlands in the EU Nature Restoration law
/ | Leave a CommentSummary: we welcome the targets within the NRL proposal to restore and rewet drained peatlands and organic soils under agricultural use. Rather than being onerous the NRL is an opportunity to garner EU support for our existing national commitments. However, further clarification is needed on definitions and financing. We call on Irish leaders in the […]
Read moreGovernment rushes planning legislation, eroding independence & public confidence in An Bord Pleanála
| Leave a CommentIMMEDEIATE RELEASE 6 December 2022 The Government has moved to bypass the remaining stages of pre-legislative scrutiny for major legislation in a push to get the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Bill 2022 passed before the Christmas Recess next week. The bill as proposed will compromise the independence of An Bord Pleanála and undermine […]
Read moreIreland’s Draft Forest Strategy (2022 – 2030)
/ | Leave a CommentThis is a submission on behalf of the Environmental Pillar in response to the public consultation on Ireland’s Forest Strategy (2022 – 2030) and the associated implementation plans, and the Strategic Environmental Assessment and Appropriate Assessment obligations pertaining. Click here to read the full Environmental Pillar submission on Irelands Draft Forest Strategy (2022 – 2030). […]
Read moreIreland’s Fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023-2027
/ | Leave a CommentSubmission on behalf of the Environmental Pillar on Ireland’s Fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan. In May 2019, Dáil Eireann declared a climate and biodiversity emergency making Ireland only the second country to do so. Despite this and a multitude of government commitments, targets and timelines we continue to see the health of the environment deteriorate […]
Read moreEnvironmental Pillar submission to the consultation on Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2023
/ | Leave a CommentThe Environmental Pillar’s submission covers the following areas:
The Framework
Avoid impacting biodiversity
Carbon Pricing and Cross-Cutting Issues
Transport
Agriculture, Land Use and Forestry
Buildings
Waste and the Circular Economy
No time to waste: Budget 2023 must Prioritise Biodiversity, Climate and Protecting the Vulnerable.
| Leave a CommentNo time to waste: Budget 2023 must Prioritise Biodiversity, Climate and Protecting the Vulnerable. 23 September 2022 IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Government must prioritise biodiversity, climate and protecting the vulnerable in Budget 2023 according to the Environmental Pillar, Ireland’s largest coalition of environmental groups. The dual climate and biodiversity crises require urgent action and […]
Read moreBudget 2023: Proposals for a more sustainable, resilient and equitable Ireland
| Leave a CommentThis year’s Budget takes place under the backdrop of war in Europe, a lingering global pandemic, a cost of living crisis and of course the ongoing climate and biodiversity crisis. Each of these issues present serious challenges to policy-makers, however, it should be acknowledged that underlying these challenges is the fact that we are living […]
Read moreTowards a New Agricultural and Food Policy for Ireland – Recommendations for Government
| Leave a CommentTowards a New Agricultural and Food Policy for Ireland Recommendations for Government A Position Paper from the Environmental Pillar, the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition and the Sustainable Water Network April 2021 “Agriculture is by far the most significant pressure on Ireland’s nature, water and air, and greenhouse gas emissions. There has been a long-standing failure […]
Read moreAg-Climatise’ – A Draft National Climate & Air Roadmap for the Agriculture Sector to 2030 and Beyond
| Leave a CommentStop Climate Chaos Coalition and the Environmental Pillar. Joint-submission to: Ag-Climatise’ – A Draft National Climate & Air Roadmap for the Agriculture Sector to 2030 and Beyond January 2020 “With a particular focus on the importance of timely and robust mitigation and environmental action at national level, the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition and the Environmental […]
Read moreEnvironmental Pillar Submission to the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss
/ | Leave a CommentThis is a submission on behalf of the Environmental Pillar in response to the call for submissions to the Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity Loss. The Environmental Pillar is an organisation that works to represent the views of 32 of Ireland’s leading environmental NGOs. We work to promote environmental sustainability and the protection of our natural […]
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Policy on Community Energy
| Leave a CommentLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim blandit volutpat maecenas volutpat blandit aliquam etiam erat. Tellus pellentesque eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi cras fermentum. Blandit massa enim nec dui nunc. Magna fringilla urna porttitor rhoncus dolor purus non enim praesent. […]
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Irish agriculture policies
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