Climate action

Clare Climate Action Plan 2024 - 2029

• Clare County Council has published the Draft Clare Climate Action Plan 2024-2029, as required pursuant to Section 16 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. The draft plan aims to position County Clare as a national leader in climate action and strengthen the delivery of effective climate action at local and community levels, through place-based action.
• The plan sets out key actions that will support County Clare in its transition to becoming a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy by 2050. The actions of the plan not only look at how Clare County Council can transform its own operations and services, but also addresses what other organisations the Council can partner with and what supports it can give to local communities and individuals.
• Clare County Council invites any interested parties to make submissions or observations with regard to the Draft Climate Action Plan through the Climate Action Plan Engagement Page. Submissions/observations may be made during the period from 12th October to 4.00 p.m. 23rd November 2023 inclusive. Submissions received will be taken into consideration before the making of the Clare Climate Action Plan.

Community Climate Action Programme

• The overall objective of the Community Climate Action Programme is to support and empower communities, in partnership with their Local Authority, to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities in a coherent way to contribute to national climate and energy targets. The Programme aims to support small and large, rural and urban communities to take climate action. This programme supports direct engagement with communities to both promote and assist in the scale up of community climate action from the respective starting points of the communities.
• The Community Climate Action Programme has been developed under two strands addressing both direct climate action, and climate education and capacity building. A total of €572,000 has been allocated to Clare County Council to work in partnership with communities, large and small, rural and urban, within County Clare to build low carbon communities in a considered and structured way. The projects will take action across at least one, preferably several, of the following five themes: Community and Energy, Travel, Food and waste, Shopping and recycling, Local climate and environmental action.
• The launch date for the programme is December 6th 2023. Please contact the Community Climate Action Officer Kelly Slattery on communityclimate@clarecoco.ie for further information.

Energy and Carbon Reduction

• Clare County Council is responsible for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from across its own assets and infrastructure, whilst also taking on a broader role of influencing and facilitating others to meet their own targets. The National Climate Action Plan sets out that the public sector must improve its energy efficiency by 50% by 2030, based on a 2009 baseline and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 51% by 2030, based on a 2018 baseline.
• Reductions of over 1,000,000 kg C02 have been achieved to date with examples of carbon reduction initiatives implemented in Clare County Council facilities and assets including public lighting upgrades, biomass heating systems and solar energy generation.

Climate Action In Practice

Reduce Your Use

• The Reduce Your Use campaign is part of a whole-of-government national campaign in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) to reduce energy use through the winter months. For information on the campaign and tips to reduce your energy consumption visit Clare County Council's Reduce Your Use Engagement Page.

Sustainable Development Goals

• Clare County Council has been selected as one of 26 organisations to participate in the Sustainable Development Goal Champions Programme 2023-2024. The Council’s selection means it will now be among the leaders in driving forward Ireland’s progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For information on the SDG's advice on how to integrate these into your life or business visit Clare County Council's Sustainable Development Goals Engagement Page.

Climate Adaptation Strategy

• Clare County Council’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024 created a roadmap of goals and objectives across six thematic areas to adapt to the effects of climate change and safeguard our way of life. Taking proactive action to adjust and prepare for a changing climate supports building resilience in our economy, environment and communities.
• Clare County Council’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy with its accompanying Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Screening Report and Appropriate Assessment (AA) Screening Report was adopted by Clare County Council on the 16th September 2019.

Climate Jargon Buster

• The Climate Jargon Buster is a resource that helps explain common climate action terms in plain English. The explanations are designed to help describe ideas and concepts rather than to give strict scientific definitions.