A new evaluation by Friends of the Earth (FoE) has revealed that Ireland’s three largest political parties have fallen short on climate policy, with each receiving an E grade for their environmental commitments ahead of the upcoming general election.
According to The Journal, the assessment shows that while Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have made some progress on renewable energy and retrofitting promises, their overall approach to “genuine, transformative climate action” remains inadequate, according to the environmental group.
In contrast, smaller parties demonstrated stronger environmental credentials, with Labour achieving top marks with an A grade, followed by the Social Democrats, The Green Party, and People Before Profit. Aontú and Independent Ireland received the lowest possible G grade.
FoE Chief Executive Oisín Coghlan expressed alarm that potential future Taoisigh are presenting policies that would fail to meet 2030 emissions targets. He called for party leaders to address their climate strategies in Tuesday’s RTÉ Leaders’ Debate.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman has criticized both coalition partners and opposition parties, particularly targeting Sinn Féin for their alleged silence on climate issues since 2020 and their proposal to eliminate the carbon tax.
The evaluation was based on FoE’s Programme for Faster and Fairer Climate Action 2025-2030, which emphasizes the need for people-centered climate policies, improved government accountability, and comprehensive reforms in areas including retrofitting, renewable energy, public transport, and nature restoration.
