The European Commission is taking Ireland to court over its failure to protect carbon-rich boglands from commercial turf cutting. Despite legal warnings since 2019 and a recent damning report from Ireland's own Environmental Protection Agency, the Commission says enforcement at the local level remains inadequate. The case centers on peatlands, which store large amounts of carbon, and their destruction through drainage and harvesting releases that carbon into the atmosphere. Ireland has partially addressed the issue by restricting harvesting on larger sites owned by state agency Bord na Mona, which has since rebranded as a green energy company. However, local councils have failed to enforce protections on smaller sites under 50 hectares. Turf cutting remains a politically sensitive issue in rural areas, where farmers claim traditional rights to cut and burn peat bricks. This lawsuit is particularly embarrassing for Ireland as it prepares to take over the EU Council presidency in July. The case highlights ongoing tensions between EU climate goals and local economic practices, and raises questions about how effectively member states enforce environmental protections on the ground.
