November 2nd, 2017 A new Bill launched this morning by the Green Party aims to “empowers” communities to purchase up to 30 per cent of new local renewable energy developments. The Community Energy (Co-Ownership) Bill 2017 aims to amend the Planning and Development Act to ensure that planning permission for renewable Read more…
November 2nd, 2017 Sharks, vultures, and lions are just some of the migratory species that are now protected globally following the signing of new international legislation at last week’s Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). The 12th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP12) to the Convention met in the Read more…
November 1st, 2017 Almost ten per cent of whales, dolphins, and porpoises examined as part of a new Irish study were found to have plastics in their digestive tracts. The study published in Environmental Pollution found that 8.5 per cent (45 individuals) of Irish cetaceans tested had marine debris in Read more…
November 1st, 2017 The shipping industry ignored calls for immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions during an International Maritime Organisation (IMO) meeting last week, according to a leading environmental NGO. The IMO – the UN body responsible for regulating the shipping sector – met in London last week to Read more…
October 26th, 2017 Mayo Dark Skies Festival has an environmental theme this year with a number of events exploring the impact of light pollution on ecology. The festival, which is due to take place this weekend from 27-29 October, is the second ever Mayo Dark Skies Festival and hopes to Read more…
October 25th, 2017 Illegal hunting continues to be a major threat to Europe’s biodiversity with millions of birds being killed each year, a new wildlife conservation report reveals. Research for the new report was led by BirdLife International with input from scientists across Europe, including experts from Birdwatch Ireland. The report Read more…
October 24th, 2017 The decision of the European Parliament’s environment committee to phase out support for certain biodiesels is welcome but doesn’t go far enough to ensure sustainability, a top European environmental NGOs has said. MEPs voted yesterday evening to ban the use of biodiesel from all vegetable oils by Read more…
A group of Swedish NGOs has called on the European Parliament to dramatically enhance the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) due to concerns about the sustainability of the bioenergy industry. In the open letter to the MEPs, the NGOs outline their desire for radical improvements to proposals on bioenergy sustainability and Read more…
October 19th, 2017 Grazing donkeys are helping to conserve one of Ireland’s most endangered species of butterfly on a Kildare bog, with populations now at record levels. The population of Marsh Fritillary butterflies is at an all-time high on the Irish Peatland Conservation Council’s (IPCC) Lullymore West Bog Nature Reserve Read more…
October 18th, 2017 There’s always someone looking to persecute the poor pine marten. The latest assault on Ireland’s rarest mammal came from Athlone Councillor Tom Farrell who has called for pine martens to be taken off the protected species list so that their population can be culled. Councillor Farrell proposed Read more…