Climate Action Plan Pre-Draft Consultation

Closed8 May, 2023, 09:00 - 23 Jun, 2023, 23:59

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Waterford City and County Council recognises that addressing climate change will be the defining challenge of this century. Climate action needs to be taken urgently to reduce the already worsening effects of Climate Change. This involves adapting to and mitigating against current and future impacts. The Council, as the extension of national government, has a responsibility to ensure its citizens are afforded a safe, healthy and sustainable environment to live in, work from, and enjoy.

Waterford City and County Council are working towards a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions within our own operations by 2030 and we will work to achieve the same in the county with the assistance of the public, business and other public sector bodies.

To achieve these goals Waterford City and County Council are drafting a Climate Action Plan that will set out the actions we will take between now and 2029

Click on Submission on the right hand side of this screen to have your say. You can do this throughout the consultation or at the end.

The projected climate change impacts for Waterford are in line with national trends. However, as a coastal county, certain climate impacts may be more acutely felt. This may be the case in relation to coastal and pluvial flooding, coastal erosion and extreme weather events associated with wind and precipitation. A recent example of this is Storm Barra in December 2021, which saw heavy rainfall and extreme winds batter the city and county. Events such as these are likely to increase in frequency with worsening climate change.

Time is of the essence when it comes to Climate Action but what is more important is that Waterford City and County Council hear from the people of Waterford as to what they would like to see from the Council in tackling Climate Change. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is an opportunity as well as a challenge for Waterford.

Waterford City and County Council have 12 months to compile an ambitious Climate Action plan from the date directed by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (24th February 2023 – 24th February 2024) and this pre consultation is the first step in gathering the ideas and thoughts of the people of Waterford.