Pictured at the launch of the Offaly County Council Draft Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 were (L-R) Aisling Lambe, Climate Action Officer, OCC, John McNally, Climate Action Coordinator, OCC, Cathaoirleach Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick, Tom Shanahan, Director of Services, OCC, Mark Mahon, Senior Engineer, OCC, Sinead McEvoy, Community Climate Action Officer, OCC and Cllr Tony McCormack, Chair of Climate Action, Environment, Water and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee, OCC.

Offaly draft Climate Action Plan is published

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Offaly County Council is "committed to climate action" said Chief Executive, Anna Marie Delaney, at the launch of the county's draft Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 today (Tuesday).

Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive said the local authority will support climate action through "leading by example and supporting our local communities in their efforts to build capacity and become more resilient to climate change.”

The council is seeking public engagement on the draft Climate Action Plan, which has a special focus on the themes of community, biodiversity, natural environment, circular economy, transportation, built environment and sustainability as well as identifying projects across the Council’s service delivery and implementing 114 actions under these themes.

The draft plan includes actions which aim to reduce Offaly County Council’s emissions across its own infrastructure and assets by 51% by 2030 and create pathways towards enabling sectoral emission reductions across the county.

Key priority areas are:

1. Corporate Buildings

2. Corporate Fleet

3. Decarbonising Zone in Tullamore

4. Communities

5. Sustainable Energy

Cathaoirleach Cllr Eddie Fitzpatrick said the draft Climate Action Plan sets out a roadmap for how global climate challenges can, and must, be met at a local, community and County level.

"I am confident that Offaly will achieve the ambitious targets set for the public sector to achieve a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and to increase energy efficiency to 50% by the year 2030” he said.

The Plan encompasses all forms of climate action including mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity enhancement and sets out actions which will “encourage and support our local communities to strengthen their capacity and resilience to climate change through funding and other supports which Offaly County Council will provide” added Cllr Tony McCormack, Chair of Climate Action, Environment, Water and Transportation Strategic Policy Committee with Offaly County Council.

Cllr McCormack also spoke of the importance of citizens engaging with and making submissions on the draft Plan to ensure Offaly takes positive action and is recognized as one of the leaders of climate action in the country.”

The draft Offaly County Council Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029 is now open for public consultation and staff from the council's Climate Action team will host various drop-in clinics in Tullamore, Edenderry, and Birr to allow people to ‘Have Your Say’ and shape this plan.

Members of the public are asked to visit www.offaly.ie/climate-change-action-plan-consultation for further information and follow the social media channels for further updates relating to Climate Action events happening throughout the county.

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