Ireland's Climate Change and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 requires local authorities to prepare plans to help achieve the national climate ambition: to half greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Cork City’s participation in the prestigious EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities encourages us to go even further, to accelerate our journey to ‘net-zero’ through innovative and bold action.
This Draft Plan sets out what Cork City Council will do to reduce emissions from its own buildings and operations. However, because this is a plan for Cork City, the actions that residents, businesses, community groups, and public sector institutions will have to take are a vital contribution to the achievement of our vision of Cork as a climate neutral and resilient city. We are facing an enormous task ahead, with the need to improve the quality and efficiency of our buildings, increase our use of renewable energy, protect our natural environment, and adapt to the changing climate. Some of that work has already begun, with the greening of our public spaces and expanding our cycling network, a growing uptake of SEAI grants for renewable energy, a shift to electric vehicles, and the award-winning community gardens, but we have a lot more to do.
Cork City Council Chief Executive, Ann Doherty, stressed the need for public input, saying that:
“the Climate Action Plan will be an important milestone in our journey towards a sustainable future. Through a series of workshops during the summer, we listened to a diverse range of voices that have informed the Draft Plan. We know that people living and working in Cork are aware of the risks but are also aware of the health benefits of climate action. We now want to know what people think of the pathways we’re suggesting for a safe and prosperous future for the city. This is important so that the transition to a sustainable future works for everyone”.
Goals
The Draft Climate Action Plan has three interlinked goals:
To achieve net-zero Greenhouse Gas emissions as soon as possible, in line with the EU's Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission objective, by identifying, testing and implementing approaches to acceleration in all five thematic areas.
To protect and enhance our natural and built environment.
To establish an inclusive and best-practice governance to lead the city into a sustainable and thriving future.
Objectives
The plan specifies those actions for which the City Council is fully accountable, concerning emissions from its own assets, and those for which it facilitates and coordinates, influences others, and advocates for. Actions are organised under five themes, as outlined below. The Climate Action Plan summarises the state of play in each of the thematic areas, and sets out clear objectives, actions and high-level indicators for each.
Our objectives under each of the themes are as follows:
Governance and Leadership:
Out community will work together through an inclusive and accountable governance structure to achieve a fair climate transition that leaves no one behind.
A governance structure that engages people living and working in the city and supports them in gaining knowledge and acting, individually and collectively, in ways that protect and enhance our climate and environment.
Communities and Partnerships
Climate action will be mainstreamed in all areas of community development, including for youth, gender, poverty and social inclusion, integration, health, arts and travel, among others.
The diverse community groups in Cork City will play a major role in climate action, achieving a fair and inclusive transition.
The City Council and other institutions will facilitate individuals and community groups to act.
Built Environment and Energy
Institutions and building owners in Cork City will work together to accelerate retrofitting and the installation of renewable energy systems.
Innovation will be de-risked for building owners, and effectively tested in the city and, where successful, is rapidly scaled up.
The expansion zones and regeneration areas are flagship, climate-positive development projects that integrate our policies and good practices set out in the City Development Plan, the Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy, and the Trees Strategy, among others.
Transport and Mobility
People living and working in Cork City will avail of an excellent sustainable public transport system and accessible, safe active-travel routes, using a car as a last resort.
Provision of multi-modal sustainable transport options for everyone.
Reduced car ownership and significantly reduced car use in the city.
Natural Environment and Resource Management
Green space will be available in every neighbourhood.
The potential for carbon sequestration, nature and biodiversity gain, and climate-risk mitigation through green and blue infrastructure will be maximised in every new development and established neighbourhood.
The city will adopt the reduce-reuse-recycle principle of a circular economy.
Principles
The Climate Action Plan is based on clear principles which are:
Cork City residents support climate action. Our proposals will be bold and ambitious. Business as usual will not be enough.
We will take risks through innovation and learn from our mistakes.
Our transition to net zero will be fair. It will help the most vulnerable groups in the city so that climate action does not push them further behind.
We will seek out creative and high-impact partnerships with our community organisations, businesses, and academic institutions, among others, to drive and accelerate progress.
Documents for your Consideration
For the purposes of this consultation we present the following nine documents.
DRAFT Cork City Climate Action Plan 2024-2029
DRAFT Annex of Actions
Baseline Emissions Inventory (UCC)
Cork City Climate Change Risk Assessment (KPMG)
Cork City Household Survey (B&A)
Cork City Climate Conversations (Change by Degrees)
Summary report of baseline evidence (Cork City Council)
Statutory Notification of the CAP consultation (Irish Examiner 20/11/2023)
How Can You Have Your Say?
Your voice counts. We invite you to make a submission to express your views on the Draft Climate Action Plan now. The window for submissions will close at midnight on Wednesday 20th December 2023.
Printed copies of all the consultation documents are available in each of the City Libraries and at the Planning Counter in the Civic Offices of Cork City Council on Anglesea Street.
Our staff will also be available at sessions in each of the City Libraries in the week commencing Monday November 27th at the times and locations set out in the table below:
Climate Action Plan Submissions, Strategic and Economic Development, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork, T12 T997.
All submissions should include your name and address and, where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company, etc, which you represent.
The closing date for receipt of submissions is midnight on Wednesday 20th December 2023. Please note that LATE submissions will not be considered. You are strongly advised to make your submission as early as possible.
Written submissions with respect to the Draft Climate Action Plan that are made within the period stated will be taken into consideration before the making of the Plan.
City Council is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014, the Data Protection Act, 2018 and to the General Data Protection Regulations GDPR).
In order to assist us in complying with Data Protection and GDPR, if making a submission by post or by email, please include your name and contact details (and where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company etc., which you represent), on a separate sheet to the content of your submission/ observation.
Draft Cork City Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029
Primary tabs
CORK CITY DRAFT CLIMATE ACTION PLAN 2024 - 2029
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Introduction
Ireland's Climate Change and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 requires local authorities to prepare plans to help achieve the national climate ambition: to half greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Cork City’s participation in the prestigious EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities encourages us to go even further, to accelerate our journey to ‘net-zero’ through innovative and bold action.
This Draft Plan sets out what Cork City Council will do to reduce emissions from its own buildings and operations. However, because this is a plan for Cork City, the actions that residents, businesses, community groups, and public sector institutions will have to take are a vital contribution to the achievement of our vision of Cork as a climate neutral and resilient city. We are facing an enormous task ahead, with the need to improve the quality and efficiency of our buildings, increase our use of renewable energy, protect our natural environment, and adapt to the changing climate. Some of that work has already begun, with the greening of our public spaces and expanding our cycling network, a growing uptake of SEAI grants for renewable energy, a shift to electric vehicles, and the award-winning community gardens, but we have a lot more to do.
Cork City Council Chief Executive, Ann Doherty, stressed the need for public input, saying that:
Goals
The Draft Climate Action Plan has three interlinked goals:
Objectives
The plan specifies those actions for which the City Council is fully accountable, concerning emissions from its own assets, and those for which it facilitates and coordinates, influences others, and advocates for. Actions are organised under five themes, as outlined below. The Climate Action Plan summarises the state of play in each of the thematic areas, and sets out clear objectives, actions and high-level indicators for each.
Our objectives under each of the themes are as follows:
Governance and Leadership:
Communities and Partnerships
Built Environment and Energy
Transport and Mobility
Natural Environment and Resource Management
Principles
The Climate Action Plan is based on clear principles which are:
Documents for your Consideration
For the purposes of this consultation we present the following nine documents.
How Can You Have Your Say?
Your voice counts. We invite you to make a submission to express your views on the Draft Climate Action Plan now. The window for submissions will close at midnight on Wednesday 20th December 2023.
Printed copies of all the consultation documents are available in each of the City Libraries and at the Planning Counter in the Civic Offices of Cork City Council on Anglesea Street.
Our staff will also be available at sessions in each of the City Libraries in the week commencing Monday November 27th at the times and locations set out in the table below:
Date
Time
Location
Monday 27th November
10.30-12.30
Bishopstown Library
Tuesday 28th November
10.30-12.30
Tory Top Library
Wednesday 29th November
10.30-12.30
Douglas Library
Wednesday 29th November
10.30-12.30
Hollyhill Library
Thursday 30th November
10.30-12.30
Mayfield Library
Thursday 30th November
10.30-12.30
Glanmire Library
Friday 1st December
10.30-12.30
Blarney Library
Friday 1st December
10.30-12.30
Blackpool Library
Saturday 2nd December
12:30 – 2:30
Ballincollig Library
Wednesday, December 6th
12.30 - 2.30
Central Library
forumMaking a Submission
Climate Action Plan Submissions, Strategic and Economic Development, City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork, T12 T997.
All submissions should include your name and address and, where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company, etc, which you represent.
The closing date for receipt of submissions is midnight on Wednesday 20th December 2023. Please note that LATE submissions will not be considered. You are strongly advised to make your submission as early as possible.
Written submissions with respect to the Draft Climate Action Plan that are made within the period stated will be taken into consideration before the making of the Plan.
Should you have any queries please email us on: climateaction@corkcity.ie
City Council is subject to the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act, 2014, the Data Protection Act, 2018 and to the General Data Protection Regulations GDPR).
Cork City Council’s GDPR policy and Privacy Policy is available on our website at https://www.corkcity.ie/en/council-services/public-info/gdpr/ or hardcopy from our offices at City Hall, Anglesea Street, Cork.
In order to assist us in complying with Data Protection and GDPR, if making a submission by post or by email, please include your name and contact details (and where relevant, details of any organisation, community group or company etc., which you represent), on a separate sheet to the content of your submission/ observation.
Roinn
Aighneachtaí
Themes
Ábhair
Deais