5 year Wicklow County Council Climate Action Plan passed

The elected members of Wicklow County Council have agreed to pass the Wicklow County Council Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 to facilitate the transition of their services and operations to a low carbon resilient future.

It’s aim is aligned to the Government’s overall National Climate Objective, which seeks to pursue and achieve, by no later than the end of 2050, the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy.

A great deal of public consultation went into the draft, including the involvement of Wicklow PPN. The Climate Action Team held drop-in clinics at six libraries, covering each of the districts. The public consultation process ended on November 15.

A total of 15 submissions were received, nine of which were in relation to Brittas Bay, coastal erosion and offshore wind turbines.

Mark Costello, Climate Change Coordinator for Wicklow County Council said: “Then we had submissions in relation to the rural transport within the west of Wicklow, items such as biodiversity, nature-based solutions and the riparian zone, and active travel and allotments and community gardens. They were the major things that came in through the submission process.”

Describing the content of the plan, Mr Costello advised that it’s an evidence-based climate action plan, which includes five themes, each with strategic goals based on delivering effective climate action.

“In total there’s 112 actions that’s relevant to the county and then there’s 23 actions that are relevant to the Arklow DZ zone. Then within the Climate Action Plan itself, there is implementation and reporting, so there’ll be quarterly reporting going towards the SPC as well as that annual reporting coming back to the members and in how we are performing with the actions as a local authority.

“There’s been a lot of positive work in relation to climate change and this came within stakeholder engagement, it became very obvious that everyone is taking climate action very serious.”

Cllr Lourda Scott commented: “I just want to congratulate the Climate Action Team on a really thorough process in not only getting the Climate Action Plan off the ground and in front of us so rapidly, but also just for doing such a comprehensive consultation process, which was really there from the very start of developing this plan.

“That consultation was not just with the Climate and Biodiversity Policy Committee, but also real effort was made to engage with stakeholders right across our communities and that is as it should be. The climate action in this plan is for everybody and all sectors of the community have a right to be involved and have input into it.”

Cllr Dermot ‘Daisy’ O’Brien said: “I think it is so valuable to recognise how revisions come to life when consultations are really considered. This is for me one of the most successful pieces of work that this local authority has ever done, and I think considering the scale of the importance of it, it’s something that they should be really proud of.”

Cllr Rory O’Connor said: “I just wanted to say, something that is very unique about this document is that it is actually going to be a real live document that will be reviewed, and we will be looking at it as an SPC, such as why we don’t hit certain targets, or why we do hit certain targets.

“It is quite exciting. If we do deliver this stuff it is going to be absolutely excellent for Wicklow and the whole country in my opinion.”

Cllr Gerry Walsh stated: “Looking at the flood relief schemes and the examples, an example was given for Kimberley Road in Greystones and the SuDS Scheme was incorporated into that.

“I remember that road prior to this scheme. It was car-dominated, servicing schools, there was illegal parking, the footpaths were in bad repair, cetera, et cetera. Now it has literally transformed that area.

“Even so, during and before the scheme there were concerns from residents about what the scheme would mean to them in relation to parking and access to driveways and all that type of thing. But, those concerns have all been resolved and alleviated and It is just a prime example of what can be done with the right foresight and initiative.”