1. Introduction

Through the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021, Ireland is now on a legally binding path to net-Zero emissions no later than 2050, and to a 51% reduction in emissions by the end of this decade. The resulting Climate Action Plan provides the framework for Ireland to meet its international and EU climate commitments and to become a leader in addressing climate change.

On 28th of July, the Irish Government approved Sectoral Emission Ceilings which set maximum limits on greenhouse gas emissions for each sector of the Irish economy to the end of the decade.

 Table 1: 2030 Sectoral Emission Targets relative to 2018 levels

Achieving these targets will be challenging and will require fundamental changes in many parts of Irish life. In rising to the challenge, we will be able to improve the health, welfare, and security of all our people, while also protecting our environment and delivering new opportunities in terms of employment and competitiveness. 

1.1       Local Authority Climate Action Plans

Local Authorities will have a particularly important role in the delivery of both climate mitigation and adaptation. This is reflected in the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act, 2021, which requires each Local Authority to prepare a LACAP, specifying the mitigation and the adaptation measures to be adopted by the Local Authority. This plan will need to be adopted by the Elected Members before 23^rd February 2024.

Local authorities are key drivers in advancing climate policy at the local level and our LACAP aims to strengthen the alignment between national climate policy and local circumstances with the prioritisation and acceleration of evidence-based measures, to assist in the delivery of the climate neutrality objective for Sligo County Council.

Sligo County Council will use its LACAP to plan 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 co-ordinate the climate actions of communities and other stakeholders and what it will do to advocate for climate action in Sligo.

To ensure that our LACAP is centered around a strong understanding of the role and remit of Sligo County Council on climate action, the Plan is being developed though the following framework.

• Fully accountable: Targeted actions for areas where Sligo County Council has full accountability for climate action within their own operations.
• Influence: Actions for where Sligo 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 Sligo 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 Sligo 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 Sligo County Council will have on climate action, the Plan will not include actions whereby their implementation and achievement fall outside our role, remit, and governance.

1.2       Development of the LACAP

The development of the Climate Action Plan will follow a number of stages as explained in the graphic below.

1.3       Consultation during the Plan Making Phase

We are all in this together, so Sligo County Council are looking for input into the drafting of our LACAP, to help us shape appropriate actions that will facilitate and enable effective climate action at a local and community level.

Submission can be made online or by post. All submissions must be received before17:00 on 18th August 2023. Everyone is welcome to make a submission (including youth groups, children and those representing children).

• To make a submission online, please complete the Sligo County Council Climate Action Plan - Public Engagement 2023 process via consult.sligococo.ie
• To send a submission by email, please send to: climate@sligococo.ie
• You can also post your written submission to:

Climate Coordinator,
Sligo County Council,
County Hall,
Riverside,
Sligo
F91Y763

To assist in highlighting the issues and opportunities for County Sligo the following sections provide an overview of our emission and climate risk profile and some key themes and questions. It would be helpful if submissions focused on one or more of these key themes, however, general comments are also welcome.

The content of the submission may be published as part of the plan-making process. At all times Sligo County Council will comply with GDPR Guidelines.

1.4       Stay Informed

You can keep up to date on the progress of our Climate Action Plan through Sligo County Council social media accounts and updates will be provided on our website- www.sligococo.ie