Cork County Council Launches First Climate Action Plan

Loraine Lynch, Divisional Manager, Cork County Council; Cllr. Frank O'Flynn, Mayor of the County of Cork and Louis Duffy, Director of Services for Environment, Cork County Council attending the launch of the Cork County Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029.

Cork County Council has launched its first Climate Action Plan (2024-2029) which aims to support the transition to a low carbon and climate resilient county. The plan includes actions and projects which support the local authority in reducing its direct carbon emissions by 51% by 2030 in line with national emissions targets. It also outlines how the Council will work with communities and national and state agencies to advocate for positive and meaningful climate action. 

Key goals in the Climate Action Plan include actions and projects to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity across the county and support the transition to a low carbon transport system. This includes the promotion of active travel and the delivery of new greenway infrastructure such as the Midleton to Youghal Greenway. 

One significant aspect of the Climate Action Plan is the establishment of Macroom as Cork County Council’s first Decarbonisation Zone, which will act as a key pilot zone and testbed for climate change mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity measures, as well as community led climate action projects. 

The Plan also supports the delivery of the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), which provides eligible community organisations with up to 100% funding to deliver local climate action projects (to a maximum value of €100,000) and is currently open for applications until Wednesday 6th March 2024. 

Following an extensive period of public consultation, the Plan was unanimously formally adopted by the Council’s elected members on Monday 12th February 2024.

Welcoming the plan, Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank O’Flynn said, 

I am honoured as Mayor to officially launch Cork County Council’s Climate Action Plan 2024-2029. This is a hugely important plan that will play a key role in supporting the Council in delivering climate action at a local level across our many prosperous and vibrant communities. I would also like to acknowledge the significant number of submissions we received from the citizens of Cork County during public consultation and thank the public for helping us to develop an aspirational and progressive plan which I am confident will serve the people of Cork County well during its lifetime. 

This sentiment was echoed by Chief Executive of Cork County Council Valerie O’Sullivan, 

The formal adoption and publication of the Cork County Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 marks a significant milestone for the Council and emphasises our ongoing commitment to meeting national climate targets. The publication of this first ever Climate Action Plan for the Council is an important moment for the local authority sector, as we strive to continue to address the challenges and opportunities presented by climate change.

The Cork County Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 is available to view online at the link below.  Physical copies of the plan can be viewed across the Council’s library network. 

Further details regarding the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP) and application process are also available below.

Cork County Council Climate Action Plan 2024 - 2029

Click here to learn more about our Climate Action Plan.

Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP)

Click here for details and application process for out Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP).

A Céad Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide seolta ag Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

Sheol Comhairle Contae Chorcaí a céad Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide (2024-2029) a fhéachann le tacú leis an gcontae aistriú isteach ina chontae ísealcharbóin agus seasmhach ó thaobh na haeráide de. Áirítear sa phlean gníomhartha agus tograí a thacóidh leis an údarás áitiúil a hastaíochtaí díreacha carbóin a ísliú 51% faoi 2030, ag teacht leis na spriocanna náisiúnta maidir le hastaíochtaí. Leagtar amach ann freisin an chaoi a n-oibreoidh an Chomhairle le pobail agus le gníomhaireachtaí náisiúnta agus stáit chun abhcóideacht a dhéanamh ar son gníomhú dearfach agus fiúntach ar aeráide.

I measc príomhspriocanna an Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide tá gníomhaíochtaí agus tograí chun cúrsaí bithéagsúlachta a chaomhnú, a athshlánú agus a fheabhsú ar fud an chontae agus tacú leis an aistriú go córas iompair ísealcharbóin. Áirítear anseo cur chun cinn an iompair ghníomhaigh agus seachadadh bonneagair nua glasbhealaigh mar shampla an Glasbhealach idir Mainistir na Corann agus Eochaill.

Gné shuntasach amháin de chuig an Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide ná bunú chéad Limistéar Dícharbónaithe de chuid na Comhairle Contae i Maigh Chromtha. Limistéar píolótach a bheidh anseo agus feidhmeoidh sé mar mhodh tástála do mhaolú an athraithe aeráide, d’oiriúnú agus d’fhorálacha bithéagsúlachta chomh maith le tograí gníomhaithe aeráide pobal-treoraithe. 
Tacaíonn an Plean chomh maith le seachadadh an Chláir Gníomhaithe Pobail ar son na hAeráide (CCAP), a chuireann maoiniú suas le 100% ar fáil d’eagraíochtaí pobail incháilithe chun tograí áitiúla gníomhaithe aeráide a sheachadadh (le uasluach €100,000) agus beifear ag glacadh le hiarratais go dtí an Céadaoin 6 Márta 2024.

Tar éis tréimhse fhada comhairliúcháin phoiblí, ghlac baill tofa na Comhairle leis an bPlean d’aon ghuth ar an Luan an 12 Feabhra 2024.

Chuir Méara Chontae Chorcaí, an Clr Frank O’Flynn, fáilte roimh an bplean agus dúirt, 

Is mór an onóir domsa mar Mhéara Plean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide 2024-2029 Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí a sheoladh go hoifigiúil. Is plean fíorthábhachtach é seo agus beidh ról lárnach aige ag tacú leis an gComhairle chun gníomhú ar son na haeráide a spreagadh ag an leibhéal áitiúil i bpobail rathúla agus bríomhara an chontae. Ba mhaith liom chomh maith aitheantas a thabhairt do na haighneachtaí ar fad a fuair muid ó shaoránaigh Chontae Chorcaí le linn an chomhairliúcháin phoiblí agus mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis an bpobal as cuidiú linn plean uaillmhianach agus forásach a fhorbairt. Tá mé muiníneach go rachaidh sé go mór chun leasa mhuintir Chorcaí le linn a shaolré.

Chuir Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí Valerie O’Sullivan leis seo agus dúirt, 

sprioc shuntasach don Chomhairle is ea glacadh oifigiúil agus foilsiú Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide 2024-2029 Chomhairle Chontae Chorcaí agus cuireann sé béim ar ár dtiomantas leanúnach spriocanna náisiúnta aeráide a bhaint amach. Pointe cinniúnach d’earnáil na n-údarás áitiúil is ea foilsiú an chéid Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide don Chomhairle, agus sinn ag déanamh ár ndíchill dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin agus leis na deiseanna a bhaineann leis an athrú aeráide.

Is féidir féachaint ar Phlean Gníomhaithe ar son na hAeráide 2024-2029 Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí anseo. Is féidir féachaint ar chóipeanna clóite den phlean in aon cheann de leabharlanna na Comhairle.

Tá tuilleadh eolais maidir leis an gClár Gníomhaithe Pobail ar son na hAeráide (CCAP) agus maidir leis an bpróiseas iarratais ar fáil anseo.