CEWEP Ireland | IRISH POLICY

Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy 2022 – 2023 ‘Living More, Using Less’. The Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy is Ireland’s first national circular economy strategy. The Strategy is a key addition to Government’s drive to achieve a 51% reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and to get on a path to reach net-zero emissions by no later than 2050, as per commitments in the Programme for Government and the Climate Act 2021.

Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy. The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy is Ireland’s new roadmap for waste planning and management. It aims to embed climate action in all strands of public policy. This Plan shifts focus away from waste disposal and looks instead to how Ireland can preserve resources by creating a circular economy.
National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy. In 2023, Irelands three Regional Waste Management Plans were consolidated into a single plan to replace them. The National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy is Ireland’s framework for the prevention and management of waste and will cover the years 2023 to 2029. The plan aims to shift Ireland towards a more circular economy where resources are reused or recycled as much as possible and therefore waste generation is minimised.
National Hazardous Waste Management Plan. The Environmental Protection Agency prepared a National Hazardous Waste Management Plan (NWHMP) for the Republic of Ireland from 2021 to 2027. It sets out the priorities to be pursued over this period and beyond to improve the prevention and management of hazardous waste.

The Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) is the second annual update to Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2019. This plan is the first to be prepared under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, and following the introduction, in 2022, of economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings. This Action Plan will be reviewed annually in line with Ireland’s climate ambitions.
District Heating Steering Group. The District Heating Steering Group was formed under the Climate Action Plan 2021,as part of the Government’s commitment to further the expansion of district heating in the State. The Steering Group coordinates the rollout of policies and measures to support district heating in Ireland. The District Heating Steering Group Report was launched in 2023 and sets the foundation for the development of district heating in Ireland.
National Hydrogen Strategy. The National Hydrogen Strategy sets out the strategic vision on the role that hydrogen will play in Ireland’s energy system, looking to its long-term role as a key component of a zero-carbon economy, and the short-term actions that need to be delivered over the coming years to enable the development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland.