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Friends of the Irish Environment CLG v An Bord Pleanala Ireland Attorney General Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage - press release

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Friends of the Irish Environment [FIE] has lodged a Judicial Review of a proposed LNG’s 600 MW gas power plant and battery storage system in Co Kerry. The challenge is based on EU law, climate science, and Ireland’s breaching of its Sectoral Emissions obligations.

In the proceedings FIE cites what they allege are critical failures in the Environmental Impact Statement submitted by the developer which include a description of the methods used to assess the climate impact. They argue that (a) these methods underestimate the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that will be released by the plant and (b) even if the developer’s emissions calculations are accepted, this single PowerStation would account for on its own 1/3rd of all budgeted emissions from the entire electricity sector in 2030 - which in turn raises questions about the extent to which the national planning authority  [An Bord Pleanala]  can explain how this could possibly be compliant with the relevant national carbon budgets and sectorial emissions ceilings, in a manner consistent with the authorities functions in relation to the proposed development in a manner consistent with the requirements of Section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 (as amended).

Leave to pursue judicial review has been granted by the Irish High Court.

Friends of the Irish Environment CLG v An Bord Pleanala Ireland Attorney General Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage

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An aim to achieve a quantifiable outcome within a given time-frame, set by an institution such as a national government.

Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

A set of principles, processes, and practices that build economic and political power to shift from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

Fossil fuel is a generic term for non-renewable energy sources such as coal, fossil gas, and oil (including crude oil, and petroleum products), that can be used for electricity and heat generation. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbons formed from pressurised and heated organic material buried over millions of years.

Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

Any compulsory, unrequited payment to the government levied on corporations or individuals. This can be for environmental reasons, such as introducing a Carbon tax to set a price that emitters must pay for the greenhouse gases they emit.

Coal is a combustible sedimentary rock formed from carbonised plant matter, rich in carbon and hydrocarbons, and occurring in several main types including hard coal and brown coal.

This sector includes firms and individuals offering specialised expertise in fields such as law, accounting, consulting, science and engineering.

Coastal zone and marine-related actions and measures to adapt and increase resilience to climate change

Activities of businesses and institutions that provide financial services and products to individuals and organisations.

Actions or measures to adapt freshwater, coastal and marine systems to climate change.

The activities of industries involved in the production, distribution, and sale of energy, including electricity, gas, and renewables.

Zoning and spatial planning are both methods for guiding the distribution of people and activities in a space, and are regulatory restriction.

A potent, short-lived greehouse gas, largely released from livestock, fossil fuel extraction and waste management.

The release of heat-trapping gases, primarily from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, agriculture and industry.

Fossil gas, commonly known as natural gas, is a fossil fuel consisting chiefly of methane with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons and trace gases, found in underground deposits.