Sustainability

Sustainability in the next Programme For Government

Friday, 14 February 2020

Whatever combination of parties sits down to negotiate the next Programme for Government, sustainability must be a key focus. This requires a focus on more than just environmental sustainability, but also financial and regional sustainability.

Election 2020 - Sustainability

Tuesday, 4 February 2020

Ireland is one of the highest greenhouse gas emitters in the EU and we have the highest levels of emissions from agriculture. We are failing in the necessary planning, services and infrastructure to ensure communities, towns and villages across all regions can adapt to changes that required to move to a more sustainable future. Read Social Justice Ireland's Election Briefing on Sustainability for an outline of a number of key challenges facing Ireland and some policy proposals that should be in the next Programme for Government.

Time for Government to walk the walk not just talk the talk on emissions

Monday, 2 December 2019

We have declared a climate emergency and we are a self-confessed laggard on climate change. But despite all the talk, where is the action? The 2019 Emissions Gap Report just published by the UN Environment Programme outlines just how serious the situation is. But it also points to actions that can be implemented. The time for talking about climate action is over, Government needs to start implementing policy to bring about real change.

Calls for Submissions on a Sustainable Mobility Policy

Friday, 15 November 2019

The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has launched a public consultation to review Ireland’s sustainable mobility (active travel and public transport) policy “to ensure services are sustainable into the future and are meeting the needs of a modern economy”. The public consultation, which closes on the 24th January 2020, is open to all stakeholders including the public.

The need for a new "ecological social paradigm" - President Higgins on Rethinking Economics

Thursday, 14 November 2019

On Tuesday, 12th November 2019, President Michael D. Higgins hosted a seminar entitled "Rethinking Economics: The Role of the State in Fostering a Sustaiable and Inclusive Economy". In his opening remarks, he cautioned "the prevailing neoliberal model which features markets without regulation, distorted trade and unrestricted globalisation, the priority of the price mechanism and the practice of commodification, speculative investment, and which results in unbridled consumption, yawning inequality and destructive extraction of natural resources is unsustainable from economic, environmental and social standpoints."

Sustainability, the Environment and Rural Communities

Monday, 11 November 2019

Budget 2020 does not contain the ‘bold and new decisions’ required to meet the ‘defining challenge’ of climate change, and there was no progress on examining subsidies that the CSO has highlighted as potentially environmentally damaging.

Progress on Carbon Tax is welcome

Monday, 4 November 2019

Social Justice Ireland welcomes the Budget 2020 decision to increase the carbon tax from €20 per tonne to €26 per tonne. This is the first significant increase in the tax since it was introduced almost one decade ago, and we also welcome the commitment to ringfence the revenue to deal with the transition to a more carbon neutral economy.

Ireland continues to lag on SDG progress after Budget 2020

Monday, 28 October 2019

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals aim to leave no one behind. With minimal progress on these in recent years, Budget 2020 reinforces Ireland's position as a laggard.

Sustainability and the future of Social Europe

Friday, 27 September 2019

The theme of the 2019 annual edition of Employment and Social Developments in Europe is sustainability. The report explores how the EU can support the transition to a socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economy that benefits the well-being of all and leaves nobody behind.

SDGs and Local Authorities - Creating Sustainable Communities

Wednesday, 25 September 2019

What role can Local Authorities play in Ireland's progress towards the SDGs? Can small changes really make a big difference? We believe that they can. In this SDG Policy Briefing developed as part of the DEAR project, we set out some of the changes that Local Authorities could implement to create a more sustainable Ireland.