Environmental Justice Network Ireland
EJNI
The Environmental Justice Network Ireland (EJNI) is a community of practice connecting interdisciplinary academic researchers, NGOs, regulatory staff, environmental lawyers, representatives from industry and government with community activists and the ‘barefoot lawyers and planners’ who have emerged over the last decade on the island of Ireland in response to serious environmental governance failures.
ID: 135572194283-84
Lobbying Activity
Response to The new Action Plan on the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights
10 Sept 2025
The document attached sets out Environmental Justice Network Irelands response to the European Commissions Call for Evidence on the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan. Environmental Justice Network Ireland promotes strategic collaboration between researchers, civil society, lawyers and communities to address the root causes of environmental and social injustice on the island of Ireland and beyond, for a peaceful society, a healthy democracy, protection of rights and a just transition. Therefore, our response pertains to the eco-social initiatives within the EPSR action plan and assessment of national specific concerns in Ireland. Summary of response: 1) It is difficult to assess Ireland's implementation of the EPSR Action Plan and progress towards meeting targets without access to national specific targets that were submitted in June 2022. 2) There are clear links between the EPSRAP and Irelands Just Transition Initiatives. 3) A significant barrier to the delivery and implementation of the EPSRAP in Ireland has been the failure to address the structural causes of energy poverty and to adhere to energy poverty obligations at EU level. 4) Discontinuation of Ireland's Energy Poverty and Action Plan and policy re-direction towards "energy affordability and consumer protection" undermines longstanding commitments to address the structural, intersectional, and justice-based dimensions of energy poverty in Ireland. This risks side-lining the most vulnerable in society and contravenes EPSR principles 11 (poverty protection for disadvantaged communities), 19 (quality social housing and financial support) and 20 ( access to essential services including energy and transport). 5) Failure to adopt a Social Climate Plan jeopardises access to funding that could be directed at eliminating energy and transport poverty (in line with key principles and targets of the EPSR and corresponding Action Plan). Without Irelands Social Climate Plan, we are unable to see the extent to which Ireland intends to use funds from SCF to address the identified social deficits in their plans up to 2032. 6) Ireland has continually failed to address gender inequality and the gendered vulnerability of energy and transport poverty in line principle 2 and 3 of the EPSR (gender equality and equal opportunities). In addition, the green transition focuses on impacts on sectors that are mainly male dominated industries, paying little attention to gender and intersectional inequalities (see Feminist Communities for Climate Justice Baseline Report that provides a review of Irish environmental and climate policy from the perspective of intersectional feminist climate justice). 7) The next Action Plan could play a significant role in promoting a fair and just transition by introducing robust eco-social initiatives. However, the Clean Industrial Deal (the EUs strategy for increasing competitiveness through reindustrialisation while achieving climate neutrality by 2050) leaves significant gaps in social protections and risks exacerbating inequalities unless strengthened. In fact, while the European Affordable Housing Plan is mentioned, the European Pillar of Social Rights is notably absent in the CID. To ensure synergy between the CID and the EPSR, the CID must adopt robust and targeted initiatives to support workers, consumers, communities and marginalised groups and this must also be reflected in the next EPSRAP to ensure they are mutually reinforcing. 8) The European Social Observatory argues that the linkages between the EU green transition policies and social policies can be strengthened by ensuring that the upcoming EPSRAP has a strong focus on socioecological issues. EJNI strongly supports the following 12 core policy recommendations made by the OSE for concrete initiatives to strengthen the socio-ecological dimension of the new EPSR Action Plan (see attached).
Read full responseResponse to EU Civil Society Strategy
5 Sept 2025
I make this submission on behalf of Environmental Justice Network Ireland (EJNI). As an all-island organisation dedicated to enhancing environmental justice working across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, as well as at EU and International level, we enthusiastically welcome the steps being taken towards an EU Civil Society Strategy. We are grateful for this opportunity to offer our experience of operating as a cross-jurisdictional civil society organisation focused on enhancing environmental cooperation across borders, within the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) sector and between NGOs and other stakeholders. Please see attached our submission outlining threats to civil society, barriers to full civil society and public participation in relevant decision making, the good practices we have noted and the elements that we consider vital for inclusion in a future EU Civil Society Framework. These include formalising routes for Civil Society Organisation (CSO) input into public authority decision making such as proposals for legislation and policies, and creating an enabling environment for civil society activity. There are many things that can be done to tangibly improve the operating environment for CSOs/NGOs. This includes increasing protections for environmental and human rights defenders, better funding design and co-design with civil society, long term and operational funding provision, prioritisation in the MFF, a voluntary Charter for politicians to commit to supporting civil society and protecting environmental defenders, and investment in technology for public administration such as public participation civic technology. This could look like the funding and standard setting of independently managed non-profit social spaces or "third spaces" online for the public to self organise in without corporate or government influence. It could also involve utilizing innovative applications of AI and blockchain to make digital engagement platforms that can really enhance the capacity of the public to participate in complex decision making in never before seen ways, and for States to step up their enforcement of law, combatting of misinformation, and their provision of credible and reliable information about key issues of societal concern. You can read more about the rationale and basis for these suggestions in the attached submission. We hope this is of assistance to the EU Commission in their important work in this area. Alison Hough Head of the Environmental Democracy Observatory, EJNI & Senior Lecturer, Technological University of the Shannon, Ireland. alison.hough@tus.ie
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