Press release
Call for organisations and groups to be Sustainable Development Goal Champions
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is now seeking Expressions of Interest for participants in the 2024-25 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions Programme.
As part of the 2024-2025 programme, a number of organisations and groups from across the country will be appointed 'SDG Champions' to help raise awareness of the importance of the SDGs as the cornerstone of a fair, prosperous and sustainable future for all. As Champions, they will show through their own actions that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people could enjoy peace and prosperity. There are 17 SDGs, covering areas such as poverty, shelter, education, health gender equality and clean energy. They are all integrated, recognising that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must be mindful of social, economic and environmental sustainability.
Already, 34 organisations and groups, large and small, have become SDG Champions, including for example Musgrave, The GAA, ECO-UNESCO, University of Galway, Ballyhoura Development, and Chambers Ireland. Last year, over 80 organisations applied to take part in the programme, from which 26 were chosen as champions, demonstrating the commitment of Irish society to help ensure that we achieve the SDGs.
Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said:
"I am delighted to launch this year’s SDG Champions Programme. The SDGs are really the building blocks to a better quality of life and future for all, both here in Ireland and across the world. They impact on every aspect of our lives, from our homes to our schools and from our work and livelihoods to the environment around us. They are intrinsically linked to climate justice. We have to ensure that everyone, everywhere is not just involved in, but benefits and prospers as we take action to address the challenge of climate change.
"The SDG Champions Programme allows a diverse range of organisations in Ireland to showcase the work they are doing to achieve the SDGs and to share their experiences and achievements locally and nationally. I really want to encourage all groups and organisations to apply to be part of this year’s programme, to learn, to inform and to help make a difference in your own community."
Applications are sought from all organisations and groups who would like to act as an advocate for the SDGs and a good practice example of how to promote and achieve the goals. Applications will be accepted in written or video format up to 5pm on Monday, 1 April 2024.
For further information on the SDG Champions Programme, and how to apply, please go to the department's website.
ENDS
On 25 September 2015, Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted at the United Nations. Ireland co-led the 2030 agenda negotiations alongside Kenya. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to "end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity", are an integral part of the 2030 agenda.
The SDGs cover the three dimensions of sustainable development: economic growth; social inclusion; and protection of the environment. They are universal in application and aim to address poverty, hunger and food systems, health, education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, energy, economic growth, decent jobs, industrialisation, inequalities, cities and human settlements, sustainable consumption and production, climate change, oceans, ecosystems and peace and justice.
The 2030 agenda is voluntary and not legally binding, but every country has agreed to implement the SDGs and every country is expected to develop a national framework setting out how they will be achieved.
Ireland has adopted a whole-of-Government approach to SDG implementation, with overall political oversight provided through the Cabinet. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for promoting the SDGs, and for overseeing their coherent implementation across Government. The National Implementation Plan 2022-2024 sets out Ireland’s SDG governance and implementation strategy for 2022-2024 and is the second in a series of consecutive implementation plans, each building on the previous iteration, to work towards achieving the SDGs. The plans set out the overarching national governance, coordination and monitoring framework for the SDGs. The detailed policy approaches to progress individual SDGs and targets are addressed in relevant national policies as set out in the SDG Policy Map.
Established in 2019, the SDG Champions Programme was developed to raise public awareness of the SDGs and to demonstrate, through the examples provided by the SDG Champions, that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The role of an SDG Champion is to act as an advocate and promoter of the SDGs and as a good practice example of how an organisation can contribute to the SDGs and integrate the SDGs into their work and activities.
Strategic Objective 3 of Ireland’s Second SDG National Implementation Plan 2022-2024 (NIP) is 'Greater partnerships for the Goals'; the SDG Champions Programme is a key mechanism towards achieving this. Action 35 and related measures of the NIP relate to the SDG Champions Programme and its relaunch last year.
The key message of the Champions Programme is that the SDGs are for everyone in society and that everyone can make a contribution to their success.