Galway County Council has launched what it calls an “ambitious” five-year Climate Action Plan.
Under the national Climate Action Plan, each local authority is required to develop their own individual climate action plans.
Galway County Council said that the plan will focus on renewable energy projects, promoting a circular economy, and reducing carbon emissions. The plan covers the period 2024 to 2029.
The council described the plan as a “milestone”, and said it has been developed following “extensive consultation” across the county over the last 18 months.
According to the local council, the plan provides a “roadmap” for adapting to weather hazards such as coastal, river and surface water flooding; coastal erosion; and heatwaves and drought.
The plan addresses the area of energy, the built environment, transport, circular economy, and land use.
Galway County Council said it is committed to reducing its emissions by 51% by 2030, and to “ensuring new public housing and buildings incorporate the principles of climate action in terms of design, services and amenities”.
Other actions include increasing investment in travel facilities; encouraging local businesses to reduce waste and use sustainable packaging; supporting the retrofit of community buildings; introducing public water refill stations; and implementing and promoting “sustainable land use practices”.
According to Galway County Council Cathaoirleach Liam Carroll, the benefits of the plan “extend far beyond emission reduction”.
“The implementation of the plan will support investment in renewable energy, the circular economy, and sustainable transportation, and will create new employment opportunities within the county that will foster economic growth and prosperity,” Carroll said.
“The listening process involved in producing this strategy has helped to identify the goals our county must achieve if it is to make a positive and quantifiable contribution to national and global climate action efforts,” he added.
Liam Connolly, chief executive of Galway County Council, acknowledged the contributions made by elected members, local authority staff, businesses, community groups, and young people to the development of the plan.
“The delivery of the actions will bring co-benefits such as increased energy security and improved public health, and will support our vision of a climate-resilient, biodiversity rich and environmentally sustainable county,” Connolly added.