KERRY County Council is inviting members of the public to join the discussion on how the local authority can support communities to mitigate climate change and what a new Climate Action Plan for the county should contain and prioritise.
The council has published a report outlining the main challenges facing the various sectors in the county in the years ahead and how a collaborative approach to decarbonisation and climate change can be achieved.
Members of the public are invited to have their say on the report and what they believe the priorities of a new Climate Action Plan should be. Submissions can be made through the consultation portal on the Kerry County Council website (click here).
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“As we face the challenges of climate change, Kerry County Council has started to develop a Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LACAP),” said Paul Neary, Director of Services with Kerry County Council.
“The Climate Action Plan will set out how the council, along with all stakeholders, will tackle the challenges the county faces from climate change. The plan will specifically address mitigation – how we can actively cut harmful emissions and ways in which we can cope with impacts into the future.
“We know, for example, the county is likely to experience increased temperatures, heavier rainfall and more severe winter storms. The knock-on effects are already evident. They include increased flooding, coastal erosion but also how we deliver services across the community and likely impacts on our biodiversity and wildlife,” said Mr Neary.
The development of the new plan is being coordinated by the council’s Climate Action Team. All stakeholders and members of the public are invited to contribute towards achieving a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy.
To inform the discussion around what actions will be required for Kerry to mitigate and adapt to climate change, the council has drafted a Baseline Evidence Summary Report.
The report, available at consult.kerrycoco.ie outlines the main challenges faced by the county and individual sectors working and living in Kerry.
Among the key questions the Council is inviting members of the public to consider are:
• How should Kerry County Council influence and support communities to mitigate climate change and move towards decarbonisation?
• How should Kerry County Council influence and support communities adapt to the impacts of climate change and become resilient?
• Do you have any issues, suggestions or recommendations that you would like to see added to the Climate Action Plan for County Kerry?
Submissions and/or any other comments or thoughts on the Climate Action Plan can be made until 8 August 2023.
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