1.2 Existing Cork City Council Climate Actions
Existing Cork City Council Climate Actions
This draft strategy was not prepared on a blank canvass. Cork City Council has put in place a number of actions aimed at adapting to and mitigating climate change.
Cork City Council signed up to the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in 2016, joining the mainstream European movement by local & regional authorities in addressing climate change. As the vast majority of energy is consumed in city territories, Cork city has a key burden-sharing role to play in meeting the voluntary commitment of signatories to reduce CO2 emissions within their territories by at least 40% by 2030. As part of the Covenant of Mayors (COM) commitment, Cork City Council prepared and submitted the Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) in 2018 and has also committed to reporting every 2 years on the implementation of the mitigation and adaptation actions in the plan. The Covenant of Mayors commitment will play a key enabling role towards the long-term commitment of Cork City Council to transition to a low carbon society and economy.
In 2009, Ireland developed The National Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2009-2020 (NEEAP). This NEEAP set an overall national goal of 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020, within which the public sector is committed to a 33% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. By the end of 2018 Cork City Council achieved a 31.5% energy reduction and is on target to reach this 2020 target. Figure 1.3. shows the City Council’s progress towards reaching this target. Much of this success is a result of Cork City Council’s directorates carrying out energy efficient projects.
The Cork City Energy Agency (CCEA), with the Cork City Energy Team (CCET), is committed to achieving ISO 50001 (the international standard for establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an energy management system) accreditation for Cork City Council by 2020.
Adaptation measures that have been already implemented by Cork City Council are presented in Table 1.1
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Table 1.1. Climate Change Adaptation Measures Put In Place by Cork City Council |
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Category |
Measures |
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Support existing initiatives. |
Major Emergency Plan and Severe Weather Plans in place.
A number of early warning systems are in place, for example:
The OPW are progressing many flood defence schemes with Cork City Council, including the Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme (LLFRS) and the Blackpool Flood Relief Scheme. Other schemes began in the Cork County Council area prior to the boundary extension will be either completed by the County Council or transferred to Cork City Council, including schemes in Togher and Glanmire. |
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Investigate, review and prepare guidance. |
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) being reviewed to determine its suitability for Cork city.
CODEMA to publish guidance on CO2 Inventory compilation. |
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Prepare inventories and undertake vulnerability assessments of assets. |
Property Interest Register has details of Council-owned properties.
Roads database holds records of road classifications and condition.
Eirspan bridge data base has records of Regional and Local road bridges, including rated condition and damage type. |
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Identify opportunities. |
The Cork City Council Local Enterprise Office (LEO) has expertise in project/product development with business and industry. |
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Raise awareness. |
Cork City Council has built up experience of climate change. Existing mainstream and social media channels widely used by Communications Unit. |
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Further develop relationships. |
Important relationships include:
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