Through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, Ireland is now on a legally binding path to net-Zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade.
Achieving these targets will be challenging and will require fundamental changes in many parts of Irish life. In rising to the challenge, we will be able to improve the health, welfare and security of all our people, while also protecting our environment and delivering new opportunities in terms of employment and competitiveness.
As required by the 2021 Act, Donegal County Council is preparing their first Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LA-CAP) which must be adopted by the Elected Members before 23rd February 2024.
1.1 Local Authority Climate Action Plans
Local Authorities will have a particularly important role in the delivery of both climate mitigation and adaptation. This is reflected in the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act, 2021, which requires each Local Authority to prepare a (LA CAP), specifying the mitigation and the adaptation measures to be adopted by the Local Authority.
Local authorities are key drivers in advancing climate policy at the local level and our LA-CAP aims to strengthen the alignment between national climate policy and local circumstances with the prioritisation and acceleration of evidence-based measures, to assist in the delivery of the climate neutrality objective for Donegal County Council.
Donegal County Councilwill use its LA-CAP in planning how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from across its own assets and infrastructure, whilst also taking on a broader role to influence, facilitate and co-ordinate the climate actions of communities and other stakeholders and what it will do to advocate for climate action in Donegal.
In order to ensure that our LA-CAP is centred around a strong understanding of the role and remit of Donegal County Council on climate action, the Plan is being developed though the following framework.
Full accountable: Targeted actions for areas where Donegal County Council has full accountability for climate action within their own operations.
Influence: Actions for where Donegal County Council can influence businesses, communities, and individuals in the delivery of local climate action through the functions and services they provide.
Coordination: Actions for where Donegal County Council can coordinate and facilitate local and community action bringing together stakeholders in partnership to achieve climate action related projects.
Advocate: Actions aligned to Donegal County Council role as advocate on climate action through raising awareness, communicating, informing, and engaging in open dialogue on the topic.
While the Climate Action Plan will be ambitious to reflect the leadership role of Donegal County Council on climate action, the Plan will not include actions whereby their implementation and achievement fall outside our role, remit, and governance.
1.2 Development of the LA-CAP
The development of the Climate Action Plan will follow a number of stages as explained in the graphic below.
2.0 Our Vision & Mission Statement
Donegal County Council have for considerable time been taking a range of actions across all functions and services to tackle climate change and are uniquely positioned to provide robust leadership in climate action and to create a low carbon climate resilient, biodiversity rich and environmentally sustainable county.
It is important that our Plan has a unifying Vision which reflects a desired and shared perspective of a climate resilient and climate neutral future, that will unite all key stakeholders and inspire action.
Our indicative Vision is:
To be a Climate Resilient, Biodiversity Rich, Environmentally Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Donegal by no later than the end of 2050.
The Vision for our Plan recognises Donegal County Council pivotal position to deliver on national policy at community level, while understanding that climate actions and impacts from climate change will not be the same for all sectors. The Vision is therefore supported by a number of key strategic goals:
Achieving carbon emission reduction target for 2030; progressing to the 2050 target for carbon neutrality and reducing climate impacts
Enabling a ‘just transition’ ensuring no household, community or business is disadvantaged by decarbonisation measures, paving the way for sustainable economic growth.
Cultivating decarbonisation co-benefits across key sectors in the county ensuring alignment with the sustainable development agenda.
Providing supports to communities and organisations and foster collaboration; leading the transition to an inclusive net zero economy.
Our indicative Vision Statement defines where we would like to lead the County, our Mission Statement takes an action-oriented focus, speaking to the grounded purpose of Donegal County Council in delivering and mainstreaming effective climate action across all services and functions.
Our indicative Mission Statement is:
To deliver transformative change and measurable climate action across Donegal County Council within our own organisation and services, through leadership, example and mobilising action at a local level.
We are looking for your input into our Vision & Mission Statements to help us shape the Goals and Objectives of our Climate Action Plan.
Do you agree with our Vision Statement and have you suggested improvements or alternative?
Do you agree with our Mission Statement and have you suggested improvements or alternative?
Have Your Say!
Donegal County Council are looking for input into the drafting of our LA-CAP, to help us shape appropriate actions that will facilitate and enable effective climate action at a local and community level.
Submission can be made online or by email. All submissions must be received before 12:00pm on 31st July 2023. Everyone is welcome to make a submission (including youth groups, children and those representing children).
To make a submission online, please go to the Council’s online consultation portal atconsult.donegal.ie ; or
via email toclimateready@donegalcoco.ie(please insert following in ‘Subject Title’ bar: Pre-draft Consultation.
To assist in highlighting the issues and opportunities for Donegal County Council the following sections provide an overview of our emission and climate risk profile and some key themes and questions. It would be helpful if submissions focused on one or more of these key themes, however, general comments are also welcome.
A questionnaire has also been developed to gather your opinions and ideas on actions that should be included in the Plan.
The content of the submission may be published as part of the plan-making process. At all times Donegal County Council will comply with GDPR Guidelines.
Climate Action Plan Pre-Draft Consultation
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1.0 Introduction
Through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, Ireland is now on a legally binding path to net-Zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade.
Achieving these targets will be challenging and will require fundamental changes in many parts of Irish life. In rising to the challenge, we will be able to improve the health, welfare and security of all our people, while also protecting our environment and delivering new opportunities in terms of employment and competitiveness.
As required by the 2021 Act, Donegal County Council is preparing their first Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LA-CAP) which must be adopted by the Elected Members before 23rd February 2024.
1.1 Local Authority Climate Action Plans
Local Authorities will have a particularly important role in the delivery of both climate mitigation and adaptation. This is reflected in the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act, 2021, which requires each Local Authority to prepare a (LA CAP), specifying the mitigation and the adaptation measures to be adopted by the Local Authority.
Local authorities are key drivers in advancing climate policy at the local level and our LA-CAP aims to strengthen the alignment between national climate policy and local circumstances with the prioritisation and acceleration of evidence-based measures, to assist in the delivery of the climate neutrality objective for Donegal County Council.
Donegal County Council will use its LA-CAP in planning how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from across its own assets and infrastructure, whilst also taking on a broader role to influence, facilitate and co-ordinate the climate actions of communities and other stakeholders and what it will do to advocate for climate action in Donegal.
In order to ensure that our LA-CAP is centred around a strong understanding of the role and remit of Donegal County Council on climate action, the Plan is being developed though the following framework.
While the Climate Action Plan will be ambitious to reflect the leadership role of Donegal County Council on climate action, the Plan will not include actions whereby their implementation and achievement fall outside our role, remit, and governance.
1.2 Development of the LA-CAP
The development of the Climate Action Plan will follow a number of stages as explained in the graphic below.
2.0 Our Vision & Mission Statement
Donegal County Council have for considerable time been taking a range of actions across all functions and services to tackle climate change and are uniquely positioned to provide robust leadership in climate action and to create a low carbon climate resilient, biodiversity rich and environmentally sustainable county.
It is important that our Plan has a unifying Vision which reflects a desired and shared perspective of a climate resilient and climate neutral future, that will unite all key stakeholders and inspire action.
Our indicative Vision is:
To be a Climate Resilient, Biodiversity Rich, Environmentally Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Donegal by no later than the end of 2050.
The Vision for our Plan recognises Donegal County Council pivotal position to deliver on national policy at community level, while understanding that climate actions and impacts from climate change will not be the same for all sectors. The Vision is therefore supported by a number of key strategic goals:
Our indicative Vision Statement defines where we would like to lead the County, our Mission Statement takes an action-oriented focus, speaking to the grounded purpose of Donegal County Council in delivering and mainstreaming effective climate action across all services and functions.
Our indicative Mission Statement is:
To deliver transformative change and measurable climate action across Donegal County Council within our own organisation and services, through leadership, example and mobilising action at a local level.
We are looking for your input into our Vision & Mission Statements to help us shape the Goals and Objectives of our Climate Action Plan.
Have Your Say!
Donegal County Council are looking for input into the drafting of our LA-CAP, to help us shape appropriate actions that will facilitate and enable effective climate action at a local and community level.
Submission can be made online or by email. All submissions must be received before 12:00pm on 31st July 2023. Everyone is welcome to make a submission (including youth groups, children and those representing children).
To assist in highlighting the issues and opportunities for Donegal County Council the following sections provide an overview of our emission and climate risk profile and some key themes and questions. It would be helpful if submissions focused on one or more of these key themes, however, general comments are also welcome.
A questionnaire has also been developed to gather your opinions and ideas on actions that should be included in the Plan.
The content of the submission may be published as part of the plan-making process. At all times Donegal County Council will comply with GDPR Guidelines.
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