The State has slipped down the rankings of an international performance index that assesses climate action for the second year in a row.
The country ranks 37th out of 64 wealthy nations assessed by 500 national and international experts for the annual Climate Change Performance Index.
It now has an overall “low” rating after previously climbing to 29th place and a “medium” rating under the last government.
The assessment concluded: “Progress on climate action is nowhere near sufficient for ensuring compliance with national and EU commitments.”
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It said the State had sufficient climate law and structures, including legally binding targets and carbon budgets, but they were only “superficially strong”.
Emissions reductions were not falling fast enough and would at best fall by 25 per cent by 2030, well off the 51 per cent legally required target.
Other problems highlighted include rising fossil fuel subsidies at a time when fossil fuels are meant to be phased out.
Subsidies rose from €4.67 billion in 2024 to an estimated €6 billion this year, boosted by rebates for the agricultural and haulage sectors following fuel-price protests in April.
While the State receives credit for stopping the burning of coal and peat to generate electricity, it is criticised for investing in new fossil fuel infrastructure with the liquefied natural gas terminal and storage facility planned for Co Clare.
Progress in expanding solar energy is noted, but so too are delays in getting sufficient new wind and solar to match growing energy demands.
It is noted that data centres are the main driver of increased energy demand and a key reason the State will not meet its binding EU clean energy targets.
The country is 80 per cent reliant on fossil fuels for power generation, heat and transport and the chances of the 20 per cent renewables more than doubling to the required 43 per cent by 2030 are deemed “unrealistic”.
Failure to publish the 2026 update to the Climate Action Plan – due almost a year ago – is also criticised.
Minister for Climate Darragh O’Brien brought it to Cabinet on Tuesday, but it is not due for publication until December.
A Department of Climate statement said the publication of the updated Climate Action Plan for 2026 is expected before the end of the year.
It said the plan is “all about accelerated implementation, focusing on climate priorities ... that will shape our approach to closing the projected gap to our 2030 targets” and the priority for Government is “is driving implementation, particularly of high impact measures with multiple societal and economic benefits”.
It said O’Brien “will provide further detail ... but work is ongoing to implement climate mitigation measures every day.”
Failure to address agricultural emissions in a substantive way is also highlighted by the international performance index.
It is noted that the State has increased its climate finance for poor countries, but the €225 million provided per year is less than half the €500 million development agencies calculate would represent the country’s fair share.
The performance index is compiled by Germanwatch and NewClimate Institute and has been published annually for 21 years.
Its latest edition comes as the Cop31 climate summit takes place in Antalya, Turkey, where the Republic, which holds the presidency of the Council of the EU, is leading negotiations on behalf of the EU.
Denmark tops the index as best performer for a second year and all EU member states achieved a medium ranking apart from the Republic, Italy, Czechia and Slovakia.
Meanwhile, the delay of the Climate Action Plan for 2026 has been described as an “absolute joke”, with the Government being urged to make haste and publish it.
The Minister for Climate received Government approval for a draft Climate Action Plan for 2026 and 2027 on Tuesday. However, there is also a further process of environmental assessment screening of the plan. Once this is complete, it is due to go back to Government for approval and publication before the end of the year.
The plan is the Government’s roadmap for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the State’s national and EU climate obligations.
Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman noted that O’Brien is travelling to the Cop31 summit, where he is to lead the European Union’s negotiations as part of the State’s presidency of the Council of the EU.
“The fact that we haven’t had a climate action plan published here is an absolute joke. There is a legal obligation on the Government to publish an annual update in terms of the climate action plan. Time and time again, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael deny that they are retreating in climate action since the Green Party left government. Yet this ... is just one piece of evidence of that continuous retreat,” said O’Gorman.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore also mentioned the Cop31 talks and accused the Government of “talking out of both sides of their mouths” on climate action.
