Ireland intends to reduce its carbon emissions and react to climate change by way of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.
The function of this Act is to facilitate the transition to a “climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy,” with a target of 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
The Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LACAP) will outline adaptation and mitigation measures to be adopted over a 5-year period. These measures will be ambitious, action focused, and evidence based.
The aim of the LACAP is to put the county of Wexford on a trajectory towards achieving climate neutrality by no later than the end of 2050.
Wexford County Council (WCC) have to complete this plan by February 2024, hence we need the public’s views now, as a matter of urgency as we endeavour to translate national climate policy to the local area of County Wexford.
The role of WCC in producing this LACAP is to implement actions that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from across our own assets and infrastructure. WCC’s Carbon Emissions accounts for 0.3% of the total Emissions within the county, however, WCC will also take on the role of influencing and facilitating others to meet their own targets, within the county.
Following on from WCC’s publication of the Wexford Climate Adaptation Plan, we are currently building an evidence base, which is required for the LACAP.
Building the Evidence Base includes the development of
- A County Climate Risk Assessment
- Produce a baseline emissions Inventory for County Wexford
- Produce a baseline emissions Inventory for Enniscorthy Town, which is the dedicated Decarbonization Zone.