Leitrim County Council preparing a Local Authority Climate Action Plan

Leitrim County Council is looking for your input into our Local Authority Climate Action Plan LA-CAP.

Help to shape appropriate actions to facilitate and enable effective climate action at a local and community level.

The Plan is currently in draft form, and the final version will be adopted by our Elected Members before 23rd February 2024.

Leitrim County Council will use its LA-CAP in planning how it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from across its own assets and infrastructure, whilst also taking on a broader role to influence, facilitate and coordinate the climate actions of communities and other stakeholders and what it will do to advocate for climate action in Leitrim.

In order to ensure that our LA-CAP is centred around a strong understanding of the role and remit of Leitrim County Council on climate action, the Plan is being developed through the following framework.

The Shass Mountain landslide near Drumkeerin

• Full accountable: Targeted actions for areas where Leitrim County Council has full accountability for climate action within their own operations.
• Influence: Actions for where Leitrim County Council can influence businesses, communities, and individuals in the delivery of local climate action through the functions and services they provide.
• Coordination: Actions for where Leitrim County Council can coordinate and facilitate local and community action bringing together stakeholders in partnership to achieve climate action related projects.
• Advocate: Actions aligned to Leitrim County Council role as advocate on climate action through raising awareness, communicating, informing, and engaging in open dialogue on the topic.

While the Climate Action Plan will be ambitious to reflect the leadership role of the Council on climate action, the Plan will not include actions whereby their implementation and achievement fall outside our role, remit, and governance.


Slow Adventure tourism

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN: 

• To deliver on national obligations to achieve the National Climate Objective of becoming a Climate Resilient, Biodiversity Rich, Environmentally Sustainable and Carbon Neutral Economy by no later than the end of 2050.
• To deliver and promote evidence-based and integrated climate action by way of adaptation and mitigation measures, centred around a strong understanding of the role and remit of the local authority on climate action.

Adaptation means anticipating the adverse effects of climate change and taking appropriate action to prevent or minimise the damage they can cause, and / or taking advantage of opportunities that may arise.

Examples: flooding & coastal defences; green infrastructure & ecosystem services; disaster management & business continuity; sustainable land use & urban planning; biodiversity management; water use efficiency; water resource management.

Mitigation means making the impacts of climate change less severe by preventing or reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere.

Examples: energy use & GHG emission reduction activities; energy efficient buildings; increase use of renewable energy sources (solar, wind); sustainable transport; carbon sequestration; carbon capture with utilisation; waste reduction.

Themes for action measures will include, but not limited to:

• Transportation
• Greener Economy
• Agriculture & land use
• Home/energy
• Biodiversity and natural based solutions
• Food & waste
• Shopping/recycling/resource management

The Dromahair Greenway

HOW TO MAKE A SUBMISSION: 

You can make your submission online or by post. Submissions will be accepted until 4.30pm on Wednesday 16th August 2023.

Everyone is welcome to make a submission (including youth groups, children and those representing children) at each public consultation stage of the Leitrim County Council Climate Action Plan.

To make a submission online, or to complete an online short survey, and to keep up to date on climate action in Leitrim please go to: www.leitrimclimateaction.ie.

Submission can also be made in writing:

Correspondence should be clearly marked Leitrim Climate Action Plan Pre-Draft Consultation and addressed to:   Climate Action Team, Environment Department, Leitrim County Council, Áras an Chontae, St George's Terrace, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim N41 PF67.