31 local authority Climate Action Plans were launched today (Thursday, April 11) by Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan in Ennis, Co. Clare.
Collectively there are almost 4,000 actions set out across all the local plans. They list practical climate measures to be completed in each local authority area over the next five years.
All 31 local authorities have been preparing their local climate plans over the past year and all plans have now been adopted by their elected members.
To help inform the plans, all local authorities developed a climate change risk assessment which sets out the likely risks is terms of climate change, such as increased rainfall or flooding.
They also did a baseline emissions inventory which calculates the emissions within the local authority area and sets out emission by sector such as transport, the built environment and agriculture.
Minister Ryan said: “The climate is changing more quickly and unpredictably than scientists expected. We can see the impacts all around us – flooding, heatwaves, droughts.
“Local government has a key role to play in tackling climate change.
“They use their extensive knowledge of the natural and built environments in their areas to make a real difference. The new local authority climate action plans will enhance local government’s ability to act.
“These plans will, over time, help us as a country to meet our national climate targets and will bring extra benefits such as making our air cleaner, our streets and public spaces quieter, and bringing more biodiversity and green spaces into where we live,” Minister Ryan added.
Each of the local authorities selected a decarbonising zone where they will pilot and test new actions and projects in collaboration with key stakeholders to help move towards a net zero carbon future.
The plans demonstrate the focus of each local authority to reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life for people in each county.
Local authorities have worked over the past 12 months to engage with citizens, local businesses, public bodies and community organisations to inform their thinking around actions and priorities.
Whilst working to national guidelines with set parameters, each plan is locally created and tailored to its local area.
Over the past two years each local authority has received funding from the government to assist them with developing their local plans, totalling almost €8 million.
The local authority climate action plans will help local authorities to address, in an integrated way, the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation, and to strengthen the alignment between national climate policy and the delivery of effective local climate action.
The local climate plans will be closely monitored by the local authorities to ensure that their projects are on track and will develop implementation plans with more detail on delivery.
They will report to their local government sector and the supporting department, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, on key indicators.
The launch included a day of study visits to climate projects in Co. Clare and gave participants the opportunity to meet colleagues across all local authorities and share learning and experiences.