Kilkenny County Council adopts climate action plan

Kilkenny County Council is delighted to announce that the inaugural local authority Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 was adopted by the Elected Members of Kilkenny County Council at the Council Plenary yesterday evening.

The plan sets out how Kilkenny County Council will respond to the climate crisis by improving energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and embedding climate resilience across the organisation. It also addresses how the Council will adopt a leadership role in the county by supporting local communities, businesses and other stakeholders to take climate action. 

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Welcoming the plan, Cathaoirleach Cllr Michael Doyle said;

2This plan creates a pathway for Kilkenny County Council to reach our climate targets and respond to the challenges that climate change poses to the county. We look forward to working with all stakeholders in its delivery”.

Under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021, all local authorities are required to prepare a local authority Climate Action Plan.  The Plan, which contains 95 actions, was adopted following extensive consultation, gathering scientific data, and deliberations by the Elected Representatives and Staff of Kilkenny County Council over the past 12 months.  

The Plan’s Vision is that Kilkenny County Council will be “a climate resilient organisation that inspires and supports the County’s transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, sustainable and carbon neutral economy by 2050”. 

According to Lar Power, Chief Executive;

“We will continue to build on, and scale up, the achievements of the Council across all services in delivering climate action. The scale of the task ahead is significant, but we are committed to it.”

Some of the key actions planned, or in hand, are:

• €511,00 for community grants in 2024 through the Community Climate Action Fund 
• €30M investment by the OPW in Flood Relief Schemes in County Kilkenny 
• €3.5M investment in converting all 12,000 Public Lights to energy efficient LED lights 
• €3M investment in retrofitting local authority buildings
• Establishment of Kilkenny City Decarbonisation Zone, as a test bed for climate action 

Dearbhala Ledwidge, Climate Action Coordinator, says; “Thanks to the public, stakeholders, staff and Elected Representatives who inputted to the development of the Plan. Every Service Area in the Council will commence implementing actions straightaway and we will keep the public informed of progress through regular reporting and monitoring.”

The Draft Plan is available on here. The adopted Plan will be published in the coming weeks and available to view on www.kilkennycoco.ie