Local authorities are key drivers in advancing climate policy at the local level. Local Authority Climate Action Plans reflect the ambition of local authorities to take climate action and improve quality of life.
Ireland’s
Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act (2021) required each local authority to prepare a Local Authority Climate Action Plan to meet national climate targets and develop resilience to the impacts of climate change. The plans are consistent with the most recent approved National Climate Action Plan and National Adaptation Framework. All 31 local authorities Climate Action Plans have now been adopted by the elected members.
Each climate plan is built on a strong evidence base. 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.
As part of its local authority climate action plan, each local authority is responsible for establishing a decarbonising zone within their local authority area. Decarbonising zones (DZs) are intended to be the focus for a range of climate mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity measures and will help local authorities to identify projects which will contribute to the delivery of the national climate objective.
The plans demonstrate the ambition, focus and commitment of each local authority to reduce carbon emissions and improve the quality of life for people living, working and studying in each county.