Council ambition to reach climate neutrality by no later than 2050
As wildfires burn across Europe, Meath Co Council is seeking the public's views and proposals as they prepare a draft Climate Action Plan.
The aim of the plan is to put the County Meath on a trajectory towards achieving climate neutrality by no later than the end of 2050, with a target of 51 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The Council is required to prepare a Local Authority Climate Action Plan(LCAP) to facilitate the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy.
Following the hottest June and wettest July on record in Ireland, Meath County Council is holding a series of information evenings around the county as well as an online survey and workshops.
An information evening will take place in Trim Library tonight (Tuesday) from 7.30 to 8.30 pm and tomorrow night (Wednesday) in Beach Park Parochial Hall, Laytown from 7.30 to 8.30pm.
There will be a further information meeting in Kells Library on Thursday night between 7.15 and 8.15pm and there have already been events in Ashbourne, Duleek, Dunboyne, Ratoath, Dunshaughlin and Navan.
Cllr David Gilroy, chair of the Meath Climate Action Forum, a councillor led initiative urged people to attend the meetings and to have their say on the climate action plan.
"It will give people a chance to see how climate action can effect a community and the role it can play.
"We can already see the impact of climate change, some of it is temporary, some of it longer term, but we really have to think about the people coming after us. "
He paid tribute to the Meath Climate Action officer, Mary Darcy and her team for the work they are doing.
Deputy Darren O'Rourke, Sinn Fein Spokeperson on Climate change said urgent action is needed on climate change and the council has a huge role to play.
"The state and the county need to act. We need to plan for renewables. The council need to look at retrofitting their housing stock and we need to see the introduction of supports for people not in council houses to retrofit their homes.
"There is also an opportunity to develop new heating systems that use waste energy from big companies to heat homes and reduce fuel bulls. We are decades behind our international counterparts in that regard.
"Biodiversity is also hugely important. We are lucky in Meath to have beautiful natural resources, water, rivers and peatland and they need protection," he said.
The council is looking for the public's views on appropriate climate actions to facilitate and enable effective climate action at a local and community level and producing Meath’s County Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029.
A Climate Change Risk Assessment for County Meath has been carried out, looking at the impacts of current and future climate change risks and hazards on County Meath. The council has also carried out a study of Baseline Emissions for the County and nine decarbonising zones have been designated based on the emissions for 2018. The BEI represents an evidence-based approach to inform emission reduction actions for Meath’s County Climate Action Plan. The BEIs will enable Meath County Council to monitor and report on the efficacy of actions on the road to net zero.
The nine decarbonisation zones are Navan, Dunshaughlin, Ashbourne, Ratoath, Trim, Duleek, Kells, Laytown/Bettystown and Dunboyne. In order to ensure that local based information is included, Meath County Council are requesting your views, observations and proposals for consideration in the preparation of the draft Climate Action Plan.
Both the engagement survey and consultation submissions will be accepted until Monday 14st August.
Consultation submissions may be made online at Meath Co Council's online consultation Portal www.consult.meath.ie, by email to climateactionmcc@meathcoco.ie or post to Climate Action Section, Meath County Council, Buvinda House, Navan, County Meath, C15 Y291.