Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, has appointed 20 new organisations from across Irish society to become Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions to drive forward Ireland’s progress towards the SDGs.

The organisations have been selected from across the public, private, community, voluntary, youth and NGO sectors, ranging from The Irish Girl Guides to Sligo Rovers, ALDI to Mayo County Council, Junk Kouture to UCD. Already, 34 organisations and groups – large and small - have become SDG Champions across the 2019-2020 and 2023-2024 programmes.

Over 90 Organisations applied to take part in the programme this year, demonstrating the growing commitment of Irish society to live up to and promote the goals which have at their heart equality, access to basic rights like clean water, clean energy, food and shelter for all, and climate justice.

In addition, this year former Champion organisations will also have the opportunity to continue promoting and progressing the SDGs as SDG Ambassadors. Developed as a complement to the SDG Champions Programme, this role will enable former Champions to continue their valuable work, contributing to the promotion, awareness-raising, and implementation of the SDGs, on local, regional and national levels.

Also this year, as part of a pilot project, the Champions will be joined by a departmental partner. The Construction Procurement Policy Unit (CPPU) at the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) will work alongside the new Champions, building partnerships and enhancing stakeholder engagement. This added partnership will help to achieve SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, and in particular SDG 17.14 'Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development' also a key Strategic Objective of the National Implementation Plan for the SDGs.

You can find out more about the 2024-2025 SDG Champions on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.

Please see gov.ie for the full Press Release: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/e68c3-minister-ryan-announces-20-new-sustainable-development-goal-sdg-champions-for-2024-2025/

SDG Week – Save the Date!

Ireland’s Third SDG Week will take place this year from 20-29th September, as part of the wider European Sustainable Development Week.

Details and information on registering events to follow soon. Watch this space!