Full coverage: Climate change

Like the NASA officials who learned from the Challenger space shuttle disaster, the leaders who set climate targets must deal in a world of reality. Listening to the current debate in Ireland, it seems they are not.

Having raised expectations with a sugar-coated Climate Action Plan last year, Eamon Ryan and Charlie McConalogue are faced with the hard reality of carbon budgeting figures. It could be make-or-break time for the coalition.

Last May, Laura Roddy published an in-depth article in The Currency explaining the controversy surrounding a proposed new cheese factory in Kilkenny. Today, she became the first ever recipient of the Climate Justice Reporting Award for this work.

Harold Hutchinson, Head of Equity Research at Investec, believes policymakers have taken a narrow approach to the climate crisis and that a more holistic approach is required. He also believes Ireland can play a major role in developing renewable technologies.

The Irish solar industry is woefully underdeveloped. The problem isn't a lack of sunlight, but a crushingly slow approval system involving An Bord Pleanála, EirGrid and the ESB.

The stubborn public perception that someone else will have to change their lifestyle to cut greenhouse gas emissions can give the impression that only innovation will solve the problem. The government's home retrofit scheme reaches into this gap.

Ten business leaders at the forefront of the transformation to a low-carbon future share their hopes and fears as Ireland gets to grips with global climate change.

The publication of the Climate Action Plan and the mixed reaction to COP26 at the end of last year set the scene for an acceleration of climate policy. This two-part series explores the joined-up approach required to harness the power of business in this effort.

Current energy and transport plans show lessons from the hundreds of millions of euros wasted on peat-fired power stations have not been learned. Existing rules provide for the scrutiny needed to avoid this, but government departments simply ignore them.

From the global politics of climate change to the reality of Europe’s geography, Eddie O’Connor is convinced that his new business enabling long-distance electricity transport will play a crucial part in the transition to renewable energy. But he is scathing about Ireland’s ability to support such innovation.