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Mar 2026 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC

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Mar 2026 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC

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Apologies given by Rep (C Walsh), he was unable to attend SPC meetin and will pass along minutes from meeting once approved.

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Jan 2026| Environment, Water & Amenity SPC  

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Jan 2026| Environment, Water & Amenity SPC  

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Report submitted by C Walsh

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Q1 (Jan) Environment, Water and Amenity SPC

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Expression of Interest for this Linkage Group 

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Expression of Interest for this Linkage Group 

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We are gathering Expressions of Interest for the Climate Action, Environment & Natural Heritage Linkage Group.

If you are interested in attending this Linkage Group, please register your interest, and we will let you know when the meetings start up.

Registeration Link: https://form.jotform.com/corkcityppn/eoi-climate-heritage-spring2026

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The Cork City PPN Climate Action and Environment & Natural Heritage Linkage Group did not meet in 2025.

To support our Representatives and the work of the PPN Membership we are looking to restart it in 2026. Please express your interest via this form and we will update you once we have a date.

For more information about the Climate Action and Environment & Natural Heritage Linkage Group, visit: https://www.corkcityppn.ie/linkage-groups/climate-action-and-environment-natural-heritage/ and the embedded Padlet there.

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EoI: Climate Action and Environment and Natural Heritage Linkage Group Spring 2026

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Please click the link to complete this form.

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September 2025 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC  

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September 2025 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC  

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Report from Rep Cian Walsh

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January 2025 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC 

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January 2025 | Environment, Water & Amenity SPC 

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Report from Rep Cian Walsh

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Please use the template, redact as necessary, and send to info@corkcityppn.ie at your earliest convenience. Thank you.

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PPN: Critical Agents for Mobilisation of Community Climate Action 

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PPN: Critical Agents for Mobilisation of Community Climate Action 

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Paper submitted by the Public Participation Networks to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action July 2023

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PPN - Critical Agents for Mobilisation of Community Climate Action

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 16 January 2024 CCPPN.docx

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Cork City Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029

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Cork City Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029

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Cork City Council has produced a Climate Action Plan, as part of our statutory climate-action requirements and our participation in the EU 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. Our aim is to accelerate our city’s journey towards a climate-neutral, thriving and resilient city.

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 19 September 2023 CCPPN.docx

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Motion: Make Cork City Single-Use Coffee Cup Free

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Motion: Make Cork City Single-Use Coffee Cup Free

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Motion: Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

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Motion: Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

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Cork City Council has developed this strategy to specifically address the issue of air quality and pollution.

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular EconomyIreland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular EconomyIreland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy Infographic | Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy Infographic | Ireland’s National Waste Policy 2020-2025

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Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

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A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy Irelands National Waste Policy 2020 2025

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 31 July 2023 CCPPN.docx

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 16 May 2023 CCPPN

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Possible Action: Embedding and weighting the rights of nature within Tender processes within Cork City Council Procurement

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Possible Action: Embedding and weighting the rights of nature within Tender processes within Cork City Council Procurement

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‘That Cork City Council introduce a ‘Rights of Nature’ motion to formulate a Rights of Nature declaration and explore the implementation of ‘Rights of Nature’ as a key concept of local planning and development policy in conjunction with environmental and community groups’.

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‘That Cork City Council introduce a ‘Rights of Nature’ motion to formulate a Rights of Nature declaration and explore the implementation of ‘Rights of Nature’ as a key concept of local planning and development policy in conjunction with environmental and community groups’.

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infuse the deliberations and policy of cork city council.

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 21st March 2023 CCPPN.docx

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River Ouse: first in England to gain legal rights

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River Ouse: first in England to gain legal rights

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The River Ouse is on course to be the first river in England to be granted legal rights, as part of a growing movement to bolster protection for nature through the law.

Lewes district council passed a rights of river motion acknowledging the rights of nature as a way of improving the health of local rivers by giving them similar protection to people, and agreed there was "a case to be made for considering our interactions with our local waterways".

A charter on the river's rights is now being developed, which will be sent to the council to endorse within the next two years. This is likely to be based on the Universal Declaration of River Rights, which says rivers should have the right to flow, perform essential functions within the river's ecosystem, be free from pollution, feed and be fed by sustainable aquifers and have native biodiversity, as well as the right to regeneration and restoration.

The Ouse, like many other rivers around the country, gets filled with effluent and wastewater when sewage treatment plants along its route cannot cope with heavy rain. In 2019, every river in England failed to meet quality tests for pollution.

The move to grant the River Ouse rights was spearheaded by Matthew Bird, a Lewes town and district councillor. He told the Guardian he had become increasingly frustrated with the framing of discourse around water pollution. "The water companies are not taking their responsibilities seriously; there's a policy vacuum at government level, and the Environment Agency, who are the river's legal protectors, are not protecting it. At the same time, local communities feel powerless and vent frustrations in protest or take part in sporadic orchestrated meetings with Southern Water with no action followed up."

The council had already passed two earlier motions highlighting clear evidence that water quality had deteriorated due to sewage pollution and recognising its obligation to protect local rivers. Bird said this was a response to growing public concerns for the health and wellbeing of water bodies and a determination to hold companies to account.

Attempts to give part of the River Frome in Somerset legal rights failed in 2020, prompting Bird to seek a new approach. After a mapping exercise held during a popular river festival, and with support from the Environmental Law Foundation and other experts, he drafted a motion he hoped would bring the whole community and a neighbouring local authority on board.

Despite initial opposition, Bird said an "impassioned speech" by a Conservative councillor in favour of the motion convinced most to vote for it. "That was quite amazing, and good to think that feelings towards the river can be stronger than politics," he said.

Work on the charter will involve local people and environmental groups and will be discussed at the next catchment partnership meeting of organisations involved in protecting the water environment. Bird said there are still many unanswered questions about how the rights will work in practice. "But that's fine. We have two years to work out an answer," he said.

The motion was supported by local organisations including the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust and the Sussex Wildlife Trust.

Laws giving natural features such as rivers and mountains, or ecosystems, legal rights have been enacted around the world, from Ecuador to New Zealand.
Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on Twitter for all the latest news and features

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River Ouse may become first in England to gain legal rights

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The River Ouse is on course to be the first river in England to be granted legal rights, as part of a growing movement to bolster protection for nature through the law.

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Podcast: Interview between David McWilliams and Kate Raworth author of "Doughnut Economics"

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Podcast: Interview between David McWilliams and Kate Raworth author of "Doughnut Economics"

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The arrival of Joe Biden has led to a profound change in tone, with America quickly re-signing back up to the Paris Accord. The planet is back on the agenda and the mantra of growth at all costs irrespective of the environmental costs, is being reappraised. We talk to Kat Raworth, author of "Doughnut Economics" about a different way of looking at the world, the economy and how we understand our relationship to the world around us, our priorities and the need to re-frame economics for the 21st century. Join the gang! https://plus.acast.com/s/the-david-mcwilliams-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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‎The David McWilliams Podcast: 104 - Doughnut Economics on Apple Podcasts

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The arrival of Joe Biden has led to a profound change in tone, with America quickly re-signing back up to the Paris Accord. The planet is back on the agenda and the mantra of growth at all costs irrespective of the environmental costs, is being reappraised. We talk to Kat Raworth, author of "Doughnu...

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Niamh Guiry Rep Report 16th January 2023 CCPPN (1)

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re-defining our relationship with nature

Rights of Nature is a way of re-thinking our relationship with nature - from one of dominance to one of sharing, caring, respect and interdependency. It can also act as a catalyst to shift our thinking from an extractive economy towards a regenerative economy. The idea of nature having rights is not new. Nature has rights. What is new is how we can intervene using a rights of nature lens to protect nature and to recognise the intrinsic rights of ecosystems and species to evolve, flourish, and regenerate.

Affording Rights to Nature is now vital because our laws, policies and environmental systems were never really designed to protect the environment. They were designed merely to reduce the rate of loss not to halt the loss in the first place or restore long term damage. EJNI's Rights of Nature project will support and provide a platform for collaborations between activists, NGOs, lawyers, and academics who aim to develop the rights of nature conversation on the island of Ireland.

Resources

As our Rights of Nature journey continues, we have produced a second film to debate the subject. Many thanks to all who contributed to these films.

EJNI has produced a short film in collaboration with organisations and individuals from across the island of Ireland and beyond that explores the concept of rights of nature. You can view both the full version (40 minutes) and short version (12 minutes) below. Many thanks to all who contributed to these films.

Submission to the Citizens' Assembly

Briefing Papers

Webinar
Below are some links to existing resources relating to rights of nature:
Earth Matters programme about Rights of Nature and Lough Neagh can be viewed here

QUB Law Podcast on Rights of Nature with Dr Peter Doran can be heard here

Friends of the Earth NI have produced a briefing on rights of nature with guidance for local council level action on developing a rights of nature work programme. The briefing can be accessed here

The Center for Environmental Rights works with communities, indigenous peoples and tribal nations, grassroots organizations and civil society, and governments around the globe to advance Rights of Nature legal protections, and to implement and enforce these rights, more information on their work can be found here

Get Involved

Follow the Action via Social Media:

To get the latest updates on the project, you can follow EJNI@EJNI_Online

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Rights of Nature is a way of re-thinking our relationship with nature - from one of dominance to one of sharing, caring, respect and interdependency. It can also act as a catalyst to shift our thinking from an extractive economy towards a regenerative economy. The idea of nature having rights is not new.

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Precedence: Donegal County Council first in the Republic to adopt Rights of Nature doctrine

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Precedence: Donegal County Council first in the Republic to adopt Rights of Nature doctrine

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Donegal County Council first in the Republic to adopt Rights of Nature doctrine

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All-island environmental concept 'is not a legal construct'

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WHITHER CONSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL (RIGHTS) PROTECTION IN IRELAND AFTER ‘CLIMATE CASE IRELAND’?

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WHITHER CONSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL (RIGHTS) PROTECTION IN IRELAND AFTER ‘CLIMATE CASE IRELAND’?

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Author: Jamie McLoughlin, BCL (NUI), BCL (Oxon), PhD student and Irish Research Council Government of Ireland postgraduate scholar, UCD Sutherland School of Law. IRISH JUDICIAL STUDIES JOURNAL

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2. McLoughlin Whither Constitutional Rights

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This website has been developed by the Department of the Taoiseach with assistance from a group of young people from Comhairle na nÓg, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Adult Literacy Agency.

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This website has been developed by the Department of the Taoiseach with assistance from a group of young people from Comhairle na nÓg, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Adult Literacy Agency.

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That Cork City Council adopts the EPA Green Procurement Guidelines as a guiding document for all public procurement within the remit of Cork City Council. 

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That Cork City Council adopts the EPA Green Procurement Guidelines as a guiding document for all public procurement within the remit of Cork City Council. 

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https://www.epa.ie/our-services/monitoring--assessment/circular-economy/green-public-procurement/

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Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a process where public authorities seek to source goods, services or works with a reduced environmental impact.

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Climate Jargon Buster: An A-Z plain English guide to climate action terms

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Climate Jargon Buster: An A-Z plain English guide to climate action terms

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Consultation: Climate Conversations 2024 | Closing Date: 22 September

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Consultation: Climate Conversations 2024 | Closing Date: 22 September

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Government, communities, industry and individuals each have a part to play to help Ireland shift to a carbon-neutral future. We want to hear how we, as a government, can engage, enable and empower people to take action and realise the potential of moving towards carbon neutrality.

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Government, communities, industry and individuals each have a part to play to help Ireland shift to a carbon-neutral future. We want to hear how we, as a government, can engage, enable and empower people to take action and realise the potential of moving towards carbon neutrality.

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Environment, Water & Amenity SPC Meeting Dates for 2026

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Environment, Water & Amenity SPC Meeting Dates for 2026

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Only Environment, Water & Amenity PPN Reps go to these meetings - they are closed to the rest of the public.

Tue 20th January @ 5.30pm

Wed 18th March @ 5.30pm

Tue 19th May @ 5.30pm

Tue 22nd September @ 5.30pm

Tue 17th November @ 5.30pm