GAP says local climate action is crucial, but will fail unless climate justice is prioritised
Most City and County Councils in Ireland have now published local climate action plans, to help Ireland transition away from fossil fuels.
Global Action Plan is very happy with the high quality of the plans published to date, but warns that several County Councils have not included explicit measures to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable members of the community are supported.
Every local authority in Ireland is required to publish a local climate action plan, in line with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. These 5-year plans will help city and county councils to lead and support local action to stop further climate change and adapt their area to the effects of extreme weather events.
Local authorities all over Ireland have now published their draft strategies, and are inviting members of the public to contribute to their thinking. Global Action Plan has made submissions to many of the draft plans, and we are encouraged to see so many County and City Councils eager to play a leading role in climate action. But we believe that most City and County Councils can do more to ensure that the poorest and most vulnerable communities are not left behind in our efforts to build a net-zero society.
In our submissions to local authorities, we have highlighted the need for radical changes at all levels of society if we are to reduce Ireland’s significant per capita greenhouse gas emissions.
As an environmental behaviour change organisation, GAP implements programmes that support individuals, communities and companies to understand environmental challenges and take informed action to reduce their impact on the planet and on people. We have welcomed the fact that most draft strategies include an emphasis on training and community resilience, but Global Action Plan suggests that many local authority plans can be strengthened by greater emphasis on a ‘just transition’.
Climate Change is profoundly unfair, as those who have done the least to cause it tend to be the ones most affected by its impact. And many of the communities that don’t feel that they have a say in how we respond to the changing climate are the ones that have the least access to the resources – both public and private – we need to make the transition to a zero-emission society.
In our submissions to the local authorities, we have highlighted the importance of transforming awareness into action at the community level. Global Action Plan recommends addressing barriers to climate action and creating a positive narrative around change. The submissions also urge the inclusion of a ‘Just Transition’ framework into local Climate Action Plans, to ensure equitable distribution of the costs and benefits associated with moving towards a zero-carbon society.
Climate action without social inclusion will not work.
GAP also highlights that many local authorities do not sufficiently emphasise the role of community gardens in climate change adaptation and mitigation. GAP argues that local authorities can lead the way by supporting allotments and community gardens, and by encouraging people to use other green spaces, including people’s own gardens, to bring about greater biodiversity, flood control and local food production.