Ireland’s environment in 2023

The Environment Ireland® 2023 programme focuses on the key issues facing Ireland’s environment sector. The first national circular economy strategy has seen a change in focus away from waste disposal towards the preservation of resources by creating a circular economy. Progress is being made in this important area with the New National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap, which aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, and the Deposit Return Scheme, both launching in November 2022.

Climate Action Plan 2023 (CAP23) implements new carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings and sets out a roadmap for taking decisive action to halve emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050. CAP23 sets out how Ireland can accelerate the actions that are required to respond to the climate crisis, putting climate solutions at the centre of Ireland’s social and economic development.

In context of the biodiversity emergency, the European Union Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 responds to an alarming loss of nature and aims to put Europe's biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030. Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss has called on the Government to hold a referendum on protecting biodiversity. The Environment Ireland® Conference 2023 will also feature focused sessions including climate, circular economy and water.

Environment Ireland® is the major event for the Irish environment sector. Bringing together Ireland’s environment stakeholders in one place, the conference provides a wide range of expert speakers examining the overall state of our environment.