Minister O’Brien announces 20 new Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions for 2025-2027

From Balla Tidy Towns to Grant Thornton, the new SDG Champions demonstrate the drive of Irish organisations – large and small – to promote and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
 
The Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien has appointed 20 new organisations from across Irish society to become Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Champions for the next 18 months.
 
Organisations ranging from Killimordaly GAA to Galway City Council, from FoodCloud to Guaranteed Irish, are leading by example in driving forward progress to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 
This brings to 74 the number of SDG Champions in Ireland. Already, 54 organisations and groups – large and small, national and local – have become SDG Champions across the 2019-2020, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 programmes, including the GAA, Tesco, Irish Girl Guides, Chambers Ireland, Leave No Trace Ireland, UCD, among others.
 
Announcing the appointments, Minister O’Brien said:
 
“The world faces huge challenges in achieving the SDGs, with only 18% of the goals currently on track globally. However, this year, as we mark the 70th anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the United Nations, we are committed to achieving the vision and ambition of Agenda 2030, a roadmap for a fairer, safer, more prosperous, and sustainable world. In fulfilling the ambition of the SDGs, we have made considerable progress, but more is needed, and faster, from all stakeholders – locally, nationally and internationally.
 
“Over 90 organisations applied to take part in the Programme this year, demonstrating the continued commitment of Irish society to help achieve and promote the SDGs. Partnerships play a crucial role, and it is great to have such a diverse range of organisations working collectively towards a better future for everyone. The SDG Champions Programme recognises that everyone has a role to play, and everyone can contribute to achieving the SDGs.”
 
Appointed as part of the 2025-2027 SDG Champions Programme, the chosen organisations will help raise awareness of the importance of the SDGs as a roadmap for a safer, fairer, more prosperous and sustainable future for all, that leaves no-one behind. The Champions will show through their own actions that everyone in society can make a contribution to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
 
The organisations appointed under this year's programme have been selected from across the public, private, community, voluntary, youth and NGO sectors and are represented by larger, national organisations and smaller, community groups.
 
In addition, former SDG champions have chosen to take up the role of SDG Ambassadors, and are continuing to raise awareness and promote the SDGs. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment will work with this year’s champions, and with SDG Ambassadors throughout the year to achieve the SDGs and the overall Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda in Ireland.
 
Find out more about the 2025-2027 SDG Champions Programme on the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment website: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/sdg-champions-2025-2027/