THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has “just scraped a B- overall grade” when it comes to fulfilling its promises to address climate change and protect the environment, according to an independent assessment commissioned by environmental organisation Friends of the Earth.

However, the experts who carried out the assessment said that the climate action pledges made by the Government were not ambitious enough to begin with. 

“The commitments in their Programme for Government were not enough to achieve a truly sustainable society or meet our national and international climate targets,” the experts said.

“While we are relieved that Ireland has turned a corner away from our ‘climate laggard’ origins, this is just the start of a long and important journey for Irish society, and momentum will have to accelerate over successive governments to make Ireland a genuinely sustainable economy.”

The report also identified six areas where the next Government needs to make additional commitments, from planning for the phasing out of fossil fuel and sustainable agriculture to public engagement and the alignment of state agencies with climate obligations.

The overall assessment marked the Government out of 10 in nine areas. 

The Government’s highest scores came in the categories of  “Waste and Circular Economy” (8.5 – up from 7.5 last year), “Nature & Biodiversity (7.5 – up from 6.5 last year) and Buildings (7.5 – up marginally from 7 last year). The lowest scoring categories were Water & Marine (5 – same as last year) and Agriculture & Forestry (5 – up from 4 last year).

“Friends of the Earth will now be pushing all the political parties heading into the General Election to commit to the faster and fairer climate action we need to stay within the binding limits on pollution we have agreed to under both Irish and EU law,” said   Oisín Coghlan, chief executive of Friends of the Earth.

One of the experts involved in compiling the report card, Dr Diarmuid Torney of the School of Law and Government at DCU said: 

“This year, the Government has done enough to merit moving from last year’s C+ grade to a B-. This reflects action across a range of areas. Nonetheless, the Government shouldn’t be content to rest on their laurels. 

“The progress achieved needs to be sustained over the years ahead. As we move into an election cycle and the formation of a new government, it is important that all parties commit to continuing and strengthening action on climate and environment in the years ahead.”

Another author of the report, Dr Paul Deane, senior lecturer in clean energy futures, MaREI, University College Cork said the Government had “laid a good foundation to build a decarbonised future,” but added that “the challenge now is to build the structure at speed.” 

“Ireland has not lacked ambition when it comes to climate, but it has lacked agility, and this will be the challenge for the next government.”

Dr Cara Augustenborg, chair of the independent expert panel said: “I hope this process shows the next Government that we are always watching, and civil society will continue to demand more ambition and faster implementation of environmental commitments in any future Programme for Government.”