In this week’s Sustainability/ESG Bulletin read about a publication on the contribution of sectoral level economic activity to GHG emissions levels in Ireland, consultations in Northern Ireland on both plastic pollution and the draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027, and the launch of the UK’s new Modern Industrial Strategy. Also covered is the proposed amendment to the EU’s Climate Law, a recommendation on tax incentives to support the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, economic losses from climate extremes, updates on nature data and transition planning, as well as the usual articles, resources and upcoming events.
Ireland
Green ‘Flash’ registration plates for electric vehicles
A new initiative has been announced that will make it easier spot and acknowledge vehicles with no CO2 emissions. Distinct licence plates for electric vehicles, with a green vertical stripe – or 'flash' – will be available to all fully electric vehicles drivers on an optional basis, in an effort to entice more people and companies to invest in sustainable vehicles. Other countries, such as the UK, Germany and Norway, have introduced similar plates for electric vehicles to highlight the presence of zero-emission vehicles on the roads.
Renewable Transport Fuel Policy 2025-2027
The Renewable Fuels for Transport Policy Statement 2025 – 2027 has published, setting out a pathway for the achievement of Ireland’s Climate Action Plan biofuel targets, as well as delivery of the targets and requirements under European regulation. This latest iteration of the policy explores the potential for further deployment of renewable fuels for all transport modes, and seeks to strengthen sustainability assurance mechanisms within EU frameworks. The policy contains 19 actions aimed at delivering on the objectives over the next two years.
First meeting of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien, T.D., has chaired the first meeting of the National Energy Affordability Taskforce (NEAT). This Taskforce was established to identify and implement measures to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. Among other things, it aims to publish a National Energy Affordability Action plan which will include medium-term and long-term measures and structural reforms to lower costs for households and businesses.
Contribution of sectoral level economic activity to GHG emissions levels
The Department of Finance has published a paper examining the trends in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Ireland over the last 30 years and the extent to which sectoral level economic activity currently contributes to GHG emissions levels. Key findings in the paper, titled A Decomposition of Economic Activity linked to Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Ireland June 2025, highlight that Ireland’s total GHG emissions per capita are the third highest in Europe, and that the Agriculture Forestry and Fishing sector is the largest contributor to the overall GHG emissions in Ireland, and one of the lowest contributors to employment, GVA and exports in the economy.
Call for SDG Champions
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is seeking Expressions of Interest for participants in the 2025-26 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions Programme. Applications are sought from all organisations and groups who would like to act as an advocate for the SDGs and are a good practice example of how to promote and achieve the goals. Applications will be accepted in written or video format up to 5pm on Wednesday, 30 July.
Climate Conversation report publishes
The Department has also published the latest in a series of annual 'Climate Conversation' public consultation reports. This fourth report, which gathered 1,949 responses through an online public consultation between May and September 2024, provides critical insights into Irish citizens' attitudes, understanding, and involvement in climate action. Among other findings the report shows a heightened climate concern and desire for collective action but points to a persistence of misconceptions, particularly around the effectiveness of different carbon-reducing actions. The report makes several recommendations, including enhancing cross-government collaboration on climate initiatives.
SEAI Energy Awards 2025 now open for applications
Applications are now open for entrants to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) 2025 Energy Awards 2025. These awards showcase excellence in sustainable energy and are open to individuals, community groups, SMEs and large businesses from both the public and private sector across the island of Ireland. You can register and apply using the SEAI’s online application portal by 5pm, Thursday 17 July.
UK/Northern Ireland
Minister launches report which focuses on developing a more sustainable built environment
Economy Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, has launched a report outlining a strategic vision for decarbonising Northern Ireland’s built environment by 2050. It emphasises retrofitting buildings, improving energy efficiency standards, and investing in green skills as key steps toward reducing carbon emissions. The report also presents future scenarios to guide long-term planning and highlights the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable development.
Public Consultation on Northern Ireland's plastic pollution
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a 12-week public consultation on Plastic Pollution Plan for Northern Ireland, seeking public feedback on Department's current policies’ reduction measures as well suggestions to further eliminate plastic pollution. DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir, emphasised the need for collective action to tackle plastic pollution and create green jobs, new economic opportunities, and a cleaner environment. The consultation remains open until 24 September 2025.
Public Consultation on Northern Ireland's draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027
A 16-week public consultation on Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan is now open, with participation invited from all interested parties. Described by Minister Muir as a “a roadmap towards a more sustainable future”, the draft plan outlines how Northern Ireland will reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. The plan, which is required under the 2022 Climate Change Act, includes policies and proposals identified by departments to reduce emissions across all sectors of our economy and society.
In addition to the draft Climate Action Plan, other climate initiatives currently being progressed by DAERA include a consultation on the third Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme, work to progress the establishment of the Just Transition Commission following consultation earlier this year and a forthcoming consultation on Northern Ireland’s fourth carbon budget. The consultation is open until 8 October 2025.
Separately, an independent panel appointed by Minister Muir has published its interim report on environmental governance in Northern Ireland, highlighting the need for stronger oversight and accountability. The report draws on public feedback, stakeholder engagement, and expert input, and suggests that the current system is inadequate for protecting the environment. It explores options such as establishing an independent Environmental Protection Agency, with final recommendations expected later this summer.
UK unveils new Modern Industrial Strategy
The UK government has unveiled its new Modern Industrial Strategy, promising a reduction of up to 25 percent in electricity costs for thousands of businesses. The new 10-year strategy aims to unlock billions in investment and support 1.1 million new well-paid jobs over the next decade by addressing two particular barriers facing UK industry: high electricity prices and long waits for grid connections. Other actions include unlocking billions in finance for innovative business, especially for SMEs, an extra £1.2 billion each year for skills by 2028-29, reducing regulatory burdens and boosting R&D spending to £26 billion per year by 2029-30.
Several plans to deliver the strategy were also published, including the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, and the Professional and Business Sector Services Plan. The latter is the UK’s plan to ensure the sector is at the forefront of seizing new commercial opportunities created by new technology, including AI.
Separately, in an address to the Climate and Innovation Forum as part of London Climate Action Week, the UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband outlined plans to support banks and large companies in developing climate transition plans, i.e. setting out a roadmap that outlines how they intend to adapt and transform their operations, strategies and business models to align with their climate goals. As part of its commitment to secure Britain’s position as the sustainable finance capital of the world and help businesses and investors seize the opportunities from the clean energy transition, three consultations were announced to modernise the UK’s sustainable finance framework:
EUROPE
Amendment to Climate Law proposed
The European Commission has proposed an amendment to the EU Climate Law, setting a legally binding target to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. New “flexibilities” are included in the proposal, which have reportedly drawn criticism for potentially watering down the bloc’s climate ambition, include a limited role for “high-quality international credits” from 2036, the use of domestic permanent emissions removals within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and additional flexibilities across certain hard-to-decarbonise sectors. The Commission's proposal setting a 2040 climate target will now be submitted to the European Parliament and the Council for discussion and adoption under the ordinary legislative procedure.
Business and political leaders urges EU to uphold ‘non-negotiable principles’
Several business and political leaders have written to the Institutions and Governments of the European Union advising them that the recent EU regulatory package on sustainability (Omnibus I), aimed at simplifying rules and boosting the competitiveness of the European economy, risks dismantling the regulatory framework on sustainability that has been carefully built over the years. The letter lists what it describes as ‘non-negotiable principles’ and political commitments that should be upheld as they have established the European Union as a global leader in social and environmental matters. The letter urges the EU to send clear signals to the market to, among other things, achieve the strategic goal of a sustainable and prosperous economy, so that economic actors accelerate decarbonisation, enhance their resilience to climate change, and adopt sustainable management models that respect human rights.
Recommendation on tax incentives to support Clean Industrial Deal
The European Commission has issued a Recommendation on Tax Incentives to support the Clean Industrial Deal, aiming to accelerate the EU’s transition to a climate-neutral industrial base. The proposal encourages Member States to adopt accelerated depreciation and targeted tax credits for investments in clean technologies and industrial decarbonisation, while ensuring alignment with EU state aid rules. It emphasizes principles such as targeted support, simplicity, and timely implementation to make tax incentives more effective and accessible for businesses.
Economic losses and impact preparedness tool
The European Environment Agency has published an interactive product that aims to raise awareness both among European decision makers and the public about the urgent need to both mitigate and adapt to climate change and strengthen resilience. The Climate Impacts and Preparedness Assessment explores how heatwaves, floods, droughts and wildfires are increasingly affecting Europe. Using interactive maps and charts, it shows what happened in the past and what’s projected for the future, and provides examples of how the continent is preparing.
Separately, the EEA briefing 'Economic losses and fatalities from weather- and climate-related extremes' shows that economic losses from weather- and climate-related extremes amounted to just over €45 billion in 2023 for 38 European countries, including EU and other EEA member and cooperating countries. Total economic losses from weather- and climate-related events exceeded €790 billion between 1980 and 2023. Most countries also reported that over 50 percent of their losses were uninsured, widening the gap between economic losses and insured losses. In many cases this figure exceeded 90 percent.
WORLD
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has announced the launch of a new phase of work aimed at enhancing global access to decision-useful nature data. This phase is intended to inform a set of recommendations to be presented at COP30, the UN Climate Change Conference, taking place in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.
The IFRS Foundation has published guidance on disclosures about transition plans. The guidance supports entities applying IFRS S2 Climate-related Disclosures and is designed to enable them to provide high-quality information about their climate-related transition when applying IFRS S2. It also covers disclosures about any transition plan an entity has, including both mitigation and adaptation efforts. The IFRS Foundation will continue to monitor disclosures provided by entities applying IFRS S2 and will consider the need to enhance the application guidance in IFRS S2.
Listen
Listen as David McGee, PwC ESG Leader, talks about PwC's new report 'Reconfiguring the Global Food System' which looks at re-designing how we produce, process and consume food (16 mins)
Did you know?
Safety in the sun must now be considered by employers as a hazard, where employees are exposed to hazardous environmental conditions. Read more from Ibec.
Articles
There are several ingenious tacks we can take to help cut our emissions (Irish Times)
Do voluntary sustainability standards for business work? (Havard Business Review)
Government seeks views on draft UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (ICAEW)
Government launches UK sustainability assurance regime consultation (ICAEW)
How can the private sector contribute to systemic resilience? LinkedIn Post - Lindsay Hooper, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability
Corporations Are Bringing Climate Talk to a Whisper (Bloomberg)
Transition planning: how to achieve net zero (ICAEW)
Events
Dublin Chamber, International Roundtable on Circular Economy with ECOPath
The ECOPath Project supports SMEs in adopting Circular Economy practices to strengthen and implement their ESG performance. It equips SME staff with the knowledge and skills needed to reduce their company’s environmental impact through circular approaches. Join EcoPath Project and SMEs from Sweden, Germany, Spain, and Croatia to discuss these approaches, and the curriculum developed so far and have your say.
Webinar, Wednesday 9 July, 10.00-11.30.
ICAEW, ESG – how should the financial statements reflect sustainability?
The objective of this session is to provide auditors and preparers of financial statements a summary of how ESG and sustainability should be reflected in their annual report.
Webinar, Thursday, 10 July, 09:30 - 12:30 BST and 15/07/2025, 09:30 - 12:30 BST
ICAEW, Sustainability in Practice
A morning of expert-led discussion, practical exercises, and peer learning—all focused on helping you build and deliver impactful sustainability services.
In person, 3 September, 8.30-12.00, Chartered Accountant Hall, Moorgate Place, London, EC2R6EA
Diversity Mark, Diversity Mark Annual Summit 2025
This event will explore how diversity and inclusion can drive sustainable business growth, gathering over 300 business leaders, executives, and inclusion advocates for a full-day programme featuring keynote speakers and breakout sessions. It aims to equip attendees with practical strategies to create more inclusive workplaces and foster meaningful change across sectors.
In person, October 2025, Titanic Belfast
Sustainability Centre
You can find information, guidance and supports to understand sustainability and meet the challenges it presents in our online Sustainability Centre.
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