In this week’s Sustainability/ESG Bulletin read about the Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan 2025, Chartered Accountants Ireland’s letter to the Government highlighting SMEs’ sustainability needs, the new Business Energy Upgrades Schemes, new business opportunities to associate with native woodlands, ISIF’s additional €1bn committed to climate investments, and reports into Irelands’ Offshore Wind Strategy, the gender income gap, and EV sales. Also covered are developments in Europe, as well as the usual articles, resources and upcoming events, including the next ESG Network meeting.   

Chartered Accountants Ireland news

Accountancy Ireland goes digital

Accountancy Ireland, the flagship publication from Chartered Accountants Ireland, has published its first fully digital edition in its more than 50 years of publication. In a sustainability-themed issue, April’s Accountancy Ireland includes articles on green energy, infrastructure, sustainability reporting, accounting for sustainability and perspectives from Institute members. Commenting, Institute President Barry Doyle, described the initiative as “reflect[ing] the Institute’s ongoing and long-term goal of reducing our environmental impact for a better tomorrow as articulated in our strategy. In reducing production inputs, transport and waste volumes, we strive to meet this goal for all our benefit.”

Congratulations UrbanVolt!

Chartered Accountants Ireland congratulates UrbanVolt for winning the ESG Company Award (SMEs) in the Business & Finance Media Group ESG Awards 2025, in partnership with Grant Thornton Ireland. Chartered Accountants Ireland was honoured to have been shortlisted in the category and congratulates all fellow nominees, and all winners, across the 15 categories.

Institute shortlisted for Association and Institute Awards

Chartered Accountants Ireland has been shortlisted for the Association and Institutes Awards in the following categories:

• The Rhapsode digital bookshelf for Best Publication
• The amalgamation for Best Collaboration Project
• Sustainability / ESG bulletin for Best Blog, Podcast or Video

Congratulations to all our fellow nominees across over 19 categories and we look forward to the Awards on 12 June at Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire!

IRELAND NEWS

Government approves Climate Action Plan 2025

The Government has approved the Climate Action Plan 2025, the roadmap of actions to enable Ireland to achieve its climate objectives. This is the third statutory update to the plan since the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 was signed into law, committing Ireland to achieving by 2050 the transition to a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy.

Described as a ‘streamlined Climate Action Plan’, to be read in conjunction with Climate Action Plan 2024, the 2025 Plan aims to put climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development. It is also the final Climate Action Plan of the first 5-year Carbon Budget – marking an important midpoint in what has been called ‘the decade of climate action’.

Institute highlights SME needs in response to Department of Environment, Climate and Communications consultation

Chartered Accountants Ireland has responded to the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications’ public consultation on its 2025-2028 Statement of Strategy. In our submission, we called for the Department to acknowledge the barriers preventing businesses, in particular SMEs, from playing a greater role in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises and to set out a series of clear, practical strategies to address these. Focus should also be given to better communicating the clear commercial opportunities that a transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and biodiversity rich economy can bring to Irish businesses.

Review of the National Development Plan

The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform (DPENDR) will commence a review of the National Development Plan, to be completed in July 2025. The review will cover all public capital investment to 2035, including among other things, the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund. The National Development Plan sets out the investment priorities that will underpin the successful implementation of the National Planning Framework (NPF), included under Project Ireland 2040, and wider government policies. The review of the National Development Plan (NDP) will also include a climate assessment of any programmes receiving funding.

New Business Energy Upgrades Scheme expands range of grants targeting SMEs

Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Darragh O'Brien officially launched the Business Energy Upgrades Scheme this week, expanding the range of Rapid Approval Grants targeted at SMEs to enable them carry out energy and emissions-saving investments. The range includes the Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) and the Non-Domestic Microgeneration Grant. These schemes aim to provide ‘substantial support’ to the SME sector to address energy costs and reduce emissions in their buildings, and are open to all businesses, and public bodies, who are upgrading a building they own or occupy.

Opportunity for businesses to associate with native woodlands

The Minister of State for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture, Michael Healy-Rae, has announced the opening of the updated Woodland Environmental Fund, inviting businesses of all types and sizes to consider participating. In addition to the benefits to local landowners and to Ireland’s native woodlands, participating businesses stand to enhance the reputation of their businesses by association with the creation of “a significant tangible environmental asset that will become a permanent feature of the landscape”. The Minister described the Fund as “an ideal way for a business to exercise, and demonstrate, its corporate social responsibility, as the restoration of Ireland’s once-vast forests of oak, birch and alder delivers real environmental benefits, as well as providing additional income to farmers.”

ISIF commits an additional €1bn to climate investments and €500m to Ireland’s regional cities

The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), part of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), has committed an additional €1bn to climate investments and €500m to Ireland’s five regional cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Kilkenny. The announcement comes after new figures published by ISIF show it has exceeded its previous €1bn target for investments in climate and its previous €500m target for investing in regional cities, up to two years ahead of schedule. The new commitments will double ISIF’s commitments to both categories – bringing total climate commitments to €2bn and regional city commitments to €1bn over the next four years. The new commitments coincide with the publication of ISIF’s 10-years of Impact Report which sets out its progress since inception in late 2014.

Progress report on Ireland's Offshore Wind Strategy

Powering Prosperity Implementation Progress Report, the report published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment on the progress of Ireland’s Offshore Wind Industrial Strategy, has highlighted milestones in Ireland’s journey towards becoming a global leader in offshore renewable energy. The report states that 38 of the 40 actions outlined in the strategy are either completed or underway. The strategy, which launched in 2024, set out to capture the value of the country’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) supply chain and maximise the economic impact of Ireland’s renewable energy goals.

Report finds significant gender income gap persists despite rising number of women in paid work

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission and the Economic and Social Research Institute have published a report which finds that despite rising numbers of women in paid work, a significant gender income gap persists. The report, Child Related Leave: Usage and Implications for Gender Equality, reveals that there are fewer women in the workforce than men, and that women are more likely to be in part-time work, usually due to caring responsibilities. The gender income gap usually emerges after the birth of a child and continues throughout a woman’s whole life.

84 percent increase in new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles purchased compared to 2024

New electric vehicles licensed in March 2025 rose by 31 percent compared with the same period last year, according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) this week. The number of new electric vehicles licensed in March 2025 rose by 31 percent when compared with March 2024 (2,473 vs 1,884). The number of new plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) licensed in March 2025 grew by 84 percent when compared with March 2024 (2,202 vs 1,195).

Business in the Community Ireland launches 2025-2028 Strategy

Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), the Dublin-based not-for-profit that aims to drive sustainability and social inclusion in business, has launched its Strategy for Impact 2025-2028. The new strategy sets out its vision for supporting businesses to lead the transition to a net zero, nature-positive, and inclusive society. As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, BITCI is also hosting a landmark conference entitled ‘Lead, Innovate, Achieve: Championing sustainability and social inclusion for 25 years’ in Dublin on 11 September.

EUROPE NEWS

Omnibus given final green light

The European Council has given its final green light on one of the Commission’s proposals to simplify EU rules. This so-called ‘Stop-the-clock’ proposal postpones the dates of application of the CSRD and CSDDD. Read more from Chartered Accountants Ireland here.

Accountancy Europe’s April's Sustainability Newsletter

Accountancy Europe’s April's Sustainability Newsletter has published and includes   latest news on the Omnibus ‘stop-the-clock’ proposal, EFRAG updates and more. Among the news covered is the reaffirmation by Accountancy Europe and the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) of their commitment to high-quality and consistent sustainability assurance, and the proposals by the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance (PSF) of a voluntary and streamlined standard to help SMEs demonstrate their climate-related sustainability efforts.

Strengthening society’s engagement with nature

The European Environment Agency has published a briefing in support of the implementation of the EU’s Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and Nature Restoration Regulation. It describes how cultural attitudes influence human interactions with nature, and reviews the societal factors needed to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Seven key factors are identified as encouraging wide and continued societal engagement in protecting nature, such as ensuring evidence-based decision making and clear and efficient collaboration with stakeholders. 

2024 European State of the Climate publishes

The European State of the Climate 2024 (ESOTC 2024) report has found that Europe is the fastest-warming continent, and the impacts of climate change are clear. 2024 was the warmest year on record for Europe, with record temperatures in central, eastern and southeastern regions. Storms were often severe and flooding widespread, claiming at least 335 lives and affecting an estimated 413,000 people. During the year, there was a striking east-west contrast in climate conditions, with extremely dry and often record-warm conditions in the east, and warm but wet conditions in the west. The report was released this week by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and involved approximately 100 scientific contributors.

WORLD NEWS

Articles

Climate Action Plan:

• Rules for car advertising, more energy-efficient buildings: What's in the new Climate Action Plan (The Journal)

   

• Ireland not on 'clear path' to hit climate goals with plan (RTÉ)

   

• Measures in 2025 climate plan will be at centre of social and economic development, Government says (Irish Times)

   

• Making the business case for sustainability after the omnibus (Sustainable Views – Subscription)

• UK firms ditching diversity and inclusion ‘face higher risk of lawsuits’ (The Guardian)

 

• When fathers don’t take family leave, workplace inequality persists (Irish Times)

   

• “What gets measured gets done” – Catherine Duggan, Head of Sustainability for Grant Thornton on enterprising ESG practices (Business and Finance)

   

• ‘We can’t sacrifice resilience on the altar of efficiency’ - Central Bank warns on deregulation drive (Business Post)

   

• Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer (The Guardian)

Did you know?

The Tallaght District Heating Scheme is the first large-scale district heating network of its kind in Ireland. To date it has generated almost 6,000 MWh of energy, saving 1,098 tCO2 as of June 2024, and is estimated to generate 270,000 MWh energy over its lifetime (25-35 years). It currently supplies heat to a number of public and residential buildings in the area using waste heat from the nearby Amazon data centre.

Resources

Capitals Coalition newsletter

Curious about how businesses and finance are redefining value for nature, people, and the economy? Each month, the Capitals Coalition newsletter brings fresh thinking, practical tools, and real-world examples from its global network, spotlighting how organisations are embedding natural, social, human and produced capital into decision-making. From policy shifts to project updates, events and good news, it’s a snapshot of where momentum is building and where you can join in. Subscribe here

Chartered Accountants Worldwide - Difference Makers Discuss

In case you missed it, Chartered Accountants Worldwide’s latest Difference Makers Discuss with Ainslie van Onselen and Carmine Di Noia, Director for Financial and Enterprise Affairs at the OECD is now available to stream on demand. This exclusive conversation explores:
✅ How finance professionals can tackle climate challenges & drive digital transformation
✅ The OECD’s work with global institutions to promote sustainability & social equity
✅ The evolving role of Chartered Accountants in an ESG-driven world
✅ Practical advice for young CEOs navigating today’s economic landscape

ICAEW’s Sustainability Accelerator Programme

ICAEW’s Sustainability Accelerator Programme has been designed to equip finance professionals with the strategic insight and technical expertise required to lead sustainability and ESG initiatives in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape. Incorporating ICAEW's popular Sustainability Certificate, this flexible series of elearning resources offers up to 50 hours of professional development. 

Events

Chartered Accountants Ireland, Chartered Accountants Ireland ESG Network meeting

This meeting will be joined by three speakers:

Presentations from 2.00-3.00 will be followed by a group discussion from 3.00 – 3.30

Virtual (Zoom) email sustainability@charteredaccountants.ie if you want to join the ESG Network.

DCU, Dispatches from a changing climate: Engaging society through activism, storytelling and the arts 
DCU’s Institute for Climate and Society annual conference will take place on Tuesday, 29 April on the DCU Glasnevin Campus with keynote speaker Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. The conference will also feature a range of speakers from the arts, the media and academia. 
In person, 29 April, Free, 09:00 to 17:00

NatCap, Measuring impacts in the supply chain
The supply chain is where many of the most significant nature-related risks and opportunities lie, yet it remains one of the most challenging areas for businesses to measure and manage effectively. As regulatory and investor expectations rise, companies face increasing pressure to evaluate, assess, and manage the nature-related impacts of their supply chains. Join NatCap for a focused session on how to assess these impacts, generate actionable insights to identify priority areas for action, and prepare for evolving frameworks like the TNFD and CSRD (ESRS E4).
Virtual, April 29, 12:00 PM

Cork District Society Chartered Accountants Ireland, Sustainability for Success
Join us on Thursday, 15 May from 1-2pm for the first webinar in the Cork Society Chartered Accountants in Industry Webinar series on Sustainability for Success: How Freefoam is Building a Future-Fit Organisation with Kevin Cronin, COO and Sustainability Lead at Freefoam.
Virtual, 15 May 2025, Free, 12.00-13.00

Chartered Accountants Ireland, The SME and SMP Sustainability Workshop
A workshop for SMEs and small/medium accounting practices (SMPs) on how to get ahead of the sustainability curve. This interactive half-day session will focus on positive actions you can take to understand the ‘trickle-down’ effect of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive ('CSRD’), green public procurement, access to sustainable finance, and how to make your practice more sustainable to save costs and respond to staff and client demands.
Virtual, 23 May, 9.30- 12.30; €60 members; €75 non-members; 3 hours CPD points.

EPA, EPA Annual Climate Change Conference 2025
The EPA Annual Climate Change Conference will be held on Wednesday 28 May 2025 in Dublin Castle. Please save the date for this event.
In person, May 28, 2025

Sustainability Centre

You can find information, guidance and supports to understand sustainability and meet the challenges it presents in our online Sustainability Centre.