Andrew Jackson

@andrewlrjackson.bsky.social

303 Followers 171 Following

Environmental lawyer

The legacy of the first wave of framework climate cases in Europe: reflections on Climate Case Ireland, five years on It is ten years since the District Court of The Hague ruled in favour of Urgenda and five years since the Supreme Court of Ireland quashed Ireland’s first National Mitigation Plan in Friends of the Irish Environment v Government of Ireland (‘Climate Case Ireland’). The latter case was inspired by the former, and the teams worked closely together on the Irish case, indicative of the transnational dialogue that distinguishes the first wave of framework climate cases in Europe. Climate Case Ireland was a relatively early example of such framework litigation, having commenced in October 2017 and having been decided by the High Court of Ireland in 2019 and by the Supreme Court in 2020. The case ultimately succeeded in July 2020 before the Supreme Court, becoming only the second case globally (after Urgenda in the Netherlands) in which an apex court ordered a government to revise its national climate policy. This article, first, provides an account of the origins and unfolding of Climate Case Ireland, as well as an analysis of the judgment; second, identifies some lessons from the experience and addresses some impacts and criticisms of the case, now with the benefit of five years of hindsight; and third, offers reflections on the legacy of the case and of other early framework cases, and, more generally, on the choice of human rights-based claims versus (or in addition to) statutory claims in climate litigation.
According to Irish Water, as of 2021, data centres across Ireland drank about 810 megalitres of water from the public mains a year – which is about 0.13 percent of overall national supply. But that same year, Meta reported that it withdrew 928 megalitres of water for its data centres in Clonee in Meath. Planning documents say that it was to rely on water from the mains. That’s more than Irish Water said was consumed overall in the country that year. A spokesperson for Irish Water said on 19 June [2026] that it couldn’t lay out its methodology behind the 810 megalitres figure – or give more up-to-date figures on water use by data centres, since the AI boom.
Flyer for the event, entitled “The evolving landscapes for Judicial Review in Ireland, and for the rule of law, International Law & Human Rights at an International level”. Flyer includes list of speakers, QR code for registration, and timings. Mix of presentations and panels. Event chaired by the Hon. Ms Justice Marie Baker, formerly of the Supreme Court. Keynote by Prof. Áine Ryall of UCC and Chair of the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee. Speakers include Ms Oonagh Buckley, Sec Gen of the Dept Climate, Energy and Environment, Ms Eilis Barry, CEO FLAC Ireland, Mr Tom Flynn SC, Ms Suzanne Murray SC, Ms Margaret Heavey BL, Mr Joe Noonan, Partner NLCC LLP Solicitors, Mr David Wolfe KC, Matrix Chambers, Ms Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC, Matrix Chambers, Ms Lynn Boylan MEP, Dr Andrew Jackson, UCD School of Law, Mr Claudio Francavilla, Human Rights Watch. Event starts at 10am on 11th June at the King’s Inns and is in-person only.
Pages from article: IRELAND’S SECOND-GENERATION CLIMATE ACT: STILL PLAYING THE LAGGARD DURING THE CLIMATE CRISIS? (2023) 70 Irish Jurist 283
First page of judgment in Coolglass Wind Farm v An Bord Pleanála [2025] IEHC 1