The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, has appointed 20 new organisations from across Irish society as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions for the 2025–2027 period. These organisations, ranging from local community groups like Balla Tidy Towns and Killimordaly GAA to larger entities such as Galway City Council, FoodCloud, and Guaranteed Irish, exemplify leadership in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ireland. Their appointment highlights the commitment of diverse organisations to drive progress toward a fairer, safer, more prosperous, and sustainable society.
With these new appointments, the total number of SDG Champions in Ireland reaches 74. Previously, 54 organisations, including Tesco, UCD, Irish Girl Guides, the GAA, Chambers Ireland, and Leave No Trace Ireland, had taken part in the 2019–2020, 2023–2024, and 2024–2025 programmes. These champions have demonstrated that organisations of all sizes, whether national, local, or community-based, can actively contribute to promoting and achieving the SDGs across multiple sectors.
Minister O’Brien emphasized the urgent need for action, noting that only 18% of global SDGs are currently on track. He stressed Ireland’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially as the country marks the 70th anniversary of its United Nations membership. He highlighted that partnerships across sectors are crucial for progress and commended the strong interest from over 90 organisations applying to participate in this year’s programme, reflecting the broad societal commitment to achieving the SDGs.
The newly appointed SDG Champions will raise awareness of the SDGs, demonstrating through their own actions that everyone in society can contribute to the 2030 Agenda. The programme includes organisations from public, private, community, voluntary, youth, and NGO sectors, encompassing both large national entities and smaller community-based groups. Former SDG Champions have also taken on roles as SDG Ambassadors to continue promoting the goals throughout the year.
The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment will collaborate with the 2025–2027 SDG Champions and Ambassadors to support initiatives that further Ireland’s progress toward the SDGs, reinforcing the country’s dedication to sustainable development and ensuring that no one is left behind in achieving the 2030 Agenda.
