Constitutionalising Environmental Rights – Practical Insights Into the Irish Context

Date of publication: 2025

This project examines if, and how, Ireland should constitutionalise environmental rights. As is the case globally, Ireland faces interrelated biodiversity, climate change and pollution crises. While Ireland already has a wide-ranging environmental governance regime and there have been some positive environmental outcomes in recent years, there remain persistent issues with implementation and enforcement that undermine the effectiveness of its environmental laws and policies. There is also significant potential to enhance environmental ambitions within policy and legislation. Environmental rights are a potentially valuable tool for environmental governance and are gradually increasing in presence internationally, including within national constitutions, regional human rights treaties, and within a UN General Assembly Resolution.