Full council: April 2022

Councillors Aoife Breslin, Fintan Brett, Íde Cussen, Noel Connolly, Aidan Farrelly, Ciara Galvin, Noel Heavey, Colm Kenny, Nuala Killeen, Vanessa Liston, Pádraig McEvoy, Peggy O’Dwyer, Rob Power and Evie Sammon: That the council outlines how key scientific findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report (4 April 2022: CO2 420.69 ppm) will inform and be addressed by policies and climate action across the local authority services, including but not limited to energy conservation, public realm, sustainable transport, biodiversity and planning.

Report: It is fully accepted that there are very significant challenges for the local government sector arising from climate action and, indeed, this is reinforced in the report cited in the motion. These matters can be discussed in detail as part of the quarterly standing item on Climate Action which is included in the main agenda. It will be noted that there are many ongoing initiatives at local level which will have to be further deepened and mainstreamed both in terms of services and policies, as suggested in the motion. There is no question but that climate action is now having a very significant impact across all departments. In this context, the support of the elected members to date, particularly through the CPG, SPCs, MDs and full Council really has to be acknowledged. Directors will be in a position to address any detailed questions relevant to specific services or policies relating to their departments.

Issued by: Mr J Boland, Director of Services, Water Services, Environment and Climate Action

Councillor McEvoy acknowledged the report but stated that as policy makers, the local authority had to demonstrate it was having due regard to the climate crisis. He noted that Irish citizens were responsible for three times the level of emissions that other EU residents were. He asked that an urgency be brought to this work given the critical juncture the crisis was at. Councillor Liston asked that more visibility be given to what we as an authority are doing versus what was expected of us, and that the council needed to be more ambitious in its approach.

Mr Boland welcomed the motion and the members comments stating that Climate Action had to be interwoven through all services delivered by the local authority. He also noted that strategic collaboration and business initiatives were going to be key in the area, adding the council had come a long way in this area.

Mr Ryan stated the Climate Change document was quite technical but that the planning department would welcome any submissions made during the CDP review process by experts in any area relevant to the report.

Resolved: on the proposal of Councillor McEvoy, seconded by Councillor Breslin and agreed by the members present, the report was noted.