Climate action ensures an inclusive and equitable transition for all, capitalising on the immense economic opportunities of this transformation while improving the health, welfare, and security of people across rural and urban Ireland.
It also involves adapting to the inevitable challenges of climate change and realising the opportunities that a clean, sustainable environment and society will offer in a fair manner for everyone.
Indicating the positive impact of climate action and decarbonisation measures across Ireland’s economy and society in recent years, greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 6.8 per cent (4.0 Mt CO2eq) in 2023, with reductions in almost all sectors.
This is the lowest level of greenhouse gas emissions in three decades and provides a solid foundation for the continued action required to meet national climate goals in the coming years and decades.
Central to the goal of reducing carbon emissions are the efforts of Irish enterprises, whose endeavours will be recognised in the Green Awards 2025, a gala evening taking place on 25th February 2025 at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 4.
Now in its 17th year, the Green Awards celebrate remarkable sustainability efforts by Irish businesses. As a leading platform for green leadership and innovation, the Awards spotlight companies excelling in environmental stewardship. The Awards ceremony attracts industry leaders, with past winners forming a who’s who of Irish green professionals.
Once again, the Green Awards 2025 title sponsor is climate solutions company Bord na Móna.
Tom Donnellan, chief executive at Bord na Móna, commented: “Putting sustainability and innovation at the heart of our business strategy has enabled us to successfully evolve. This time last year we produced our last peat briquette, and in December we completed our Brown to Green journey as the last peat was supplied into Edenderry Power Ltd.
“Since then, we have focused entirely on renewable energy generation, recycling, peatlands restoration for the wider community benefit, and biodiversity. We have built a renewable energy portfolio delivering a pipeline of 5GW, built partnerships with Ocean Winds, ESB, and SSE Renewables, and recently launched our first eco-energy park with anchor tenant, Amazon Web Services.
“We continue to rehabilitate the Irish peatlands and are working to convert them into spaces that local communities can enjoy tracks and trails and where biodiversity is allowed to thrive. We are well on the way on the next part of this journey, which we expect will see us to being a country with net zero emissions by 2050 and beyond.”
In the financial year to March 2024, Bord na Móna’s sustainability highlights included reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 51 per cent. Across the Bord na Móna estate, 1.5 TerraWatt hours of clean renewable energy was generated, while over 17,300 hectares of peatlands were rehabilitated in FY24.
Kevin O’Driscoll, director of Partner Programmes at Green Awards’ organiser Business River, welcomed the support from Bord na Móna.
“The Green Awards recognise the extraordinary contribution and commitment that organisations make towards growing a greener future in Irish business,” he said.
“The well-established credibility of the Awards is linked to the quality of those who support them. We are honoured that Bord na Móna continues to back Ireland’s sought-after Green Awards. A company that leads by example brings kudos to the awards.”
The objective judging process is overseen by a panel of industry leaders, renowned for their extensive knowledge, enthusiasm, and expertise in sustainability.
The Green Awards 2025 span 27 categories, and the Judging Panel is led by Padraig Ryan, Partner, Grant Thornton Ireland, who has worked on sustainability engagements across a range of industries and was the recipient of the 2016 Green Leader Award.
The other Awards judges are Daragh Anglim, Head of Impact, Broadlake: Jean Callanan, CEO, Momenta Hub; Martin Charter Director, The Centre for Sustainable Design, University for the Creative Arts; John Cunniffe, Director, G4S FM Ireland; Supriya Foster, Sustainability Officer, South West College; Nicholas Holden, Professor of Biosystems Engineering, UCD; Ankita Nalavade, Principal of Sustainability and Resilience Standards and Visiting Assistant Professor, Port Authority of New York New Jersey and Pratt institute; Robert O’Mahony, Head of Sustainability, Global Operations, Logitech; Kathleen O’Regan; Senior Executive, Sustainability, Renewable Energy & Agtech Department, Enterprise Ireland; John Sweeney, Emeritus Professor, Maynooth University; and Sian Young, Director of Sustainable Business, Britvic Ireland.
You can see all the 2025 finalists at greenawards.ie. The winners of the Green Awards 2025 will be announced at the gala awards on 25th February 2025 at the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, Dublin 4
