Energy and Environment

We all want to breathe clean air, keep our rivers and seas crystal clear, and keep our beautiful green countryside free from pollution, so protecting Ireland's natural environment is a really important issue.

We also care about climate change and we know we need to develop alternative energies. Energy and the environment go hand in hand where the EU is concerned. The way we use energy affects the environment in many ways, so the EU is committed to developing clean and renewable energy, to ensure our environment stays healthy and well preserved for future generations.

The EU works on lots of energy and environment issues that affect us all, including:

• Sustainable and renewable energy
• Gas and electricity
• Innovation in energy production
• Climate change
• Biodiversity
• Water

Save energy, the environment and your money
Remember the last time you went to buy an appliance? You probably looked for one with an A- or B- energy efficiency rating, knowing it would save you money and help the environment. Those ratings came from the EU, as have many other initiatives and policies that make products more energy efficient and eco-friendly.

Using wind and water - renewable energy
Luckily, Ireland’s natural landscape gives us energy. When driving through cities and the countryside you’ve surely noticed the windmills? Through hydroelectric dams, wind farms and other projects, Ireland is committed to producing renewable and clean energy. EU schemes and funding help us research and implement the technology needed to reduce our waste and carbon emissions.

A cleaner country
Partly thanks to EU policies, Irish people are using more environmentally friendly products and cleaner fuels, and we’re living in a less-polluted environment.

Creating green jobs
EU investment in green energy is creating new jobs in the growing alternative energy market.

Our relationship with the EU is a two-way street. We contribute to energy and environment policies and, in turn, follow those policies to make Ireland a cleaner, greener place. Some examples of our commitments as an EU member include:

• Reducing energy consumption and energy waste
• Lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020
• Ensuring our water is drinkable, our blue flag beaches stay clean, and fewer pollutants are released into our environment

We all have a part to play in keeping our country clean and green, protecting our environment and conserving energy. The EU is giving help and support every step of the way. It also plans to:

• Introduce laws to reduce energy waste
• Make Europe more and more energy efficient
• Reduce European reliance on foreign sources of energy
• Spark a green energy industrial revolution within Europe
• Impose increasing restrictions on the use of pollutants in industry and in consumer products

All of these steps will help us here in Ireland, by giving us a safer and cleaner environment and a wider range of energy-efficient products. They may also create thousands of jobs in green energy. Most important of all, these actions will mean our children will inherit a cleaner and more environmentally friendly Ireland.

Watch short videos on energy matters
Energy policy in Europe
Intelligent energy
Energy efficiency
Environment policy in Europe
European Environment Agency
Climate Action in Europe
Change.ie - Ireland's Plan of Action for Climate Change