DCC unveils Draft Climate Action Plan and invites public to have their say

Fiona Frawley

The Council is aiming for a 51% reduction of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Dublin City Council has prepared a Draft Climate Action Plan for 2024-2029, outlining how it intends to deliver on the National Climate Action Plan and the Government’s overall National Climate Objective.

The Council’s plan references the “known impacts of climate change” – (flooding, sea level rise, extreme weather events, drought) and intends to make Dublin a “Climate Resilient City”, prepared for the known and unknown impacts potentially ahead of us. The Council has also said it intends to ensure a “just transition”, meaning the actions it takes will not cause harm.

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DCC intends to monitor the city’s climate action progress across a number of “vitals”, which it says will provide important indicators of success across climate resilience, and emission reduction. The vitals are as follows:

Weather patterns (rainfall, temperature) and events (frequency and intensity)
Air Quality
Water Quality
Soil Health
Biodiversity (Flora and Fauna)
Noise Levels
Population Health and Well-being
Social Cohesion
Economic indicators
Traffic volumes

In its plan, DCC also admits that assessing the city’s progress “is an ongoing challenge”, stating that data to monitor and understand our progress is “both abundant and inaccessible”. The Council intends to collaborate with data owners, and relevant stakeholders to collect and to analyse data “in a coherent way that insures we are responding to the climate emergency in a manner that causes no harm”.

Sectoral Emissions reduction targets and progress, via dublincity.ie.

Social Housing Regeneration

In its summary of actions, DCC describes itself as the “largest landlord in the country”, with a stock of 214 flat complexes and 10,000 houses. Beginning with its flagship project will be lower Dominick Street West, DCC intends to demonstrate climate resilient housing retrofit, enabling and encouraging residents to live sustainably by providing facilities such as: green spaces, segregated waste facilities, renewable energy generation (solar PV, geothermal and micro wind generation where feasible), and mobility options (shared bikes, micro mobility and EV charging).

Public Buildings

In a similar vein, DCC intends to regenerate its public buildings – 2 galleries, 22 libraries, 12 community centres, 17 sports and recreation centres, and operations depots with similar renewable energy generation, retrofitting and increased mobility options.

Reuse of Buildings

Acknowledging that “the lowest carbon building is one that is already built”, DCC intends to identify vacant buildings suitable for incubation hubs and community spaces, while appropriately protecting, conserving and enhancing protected structures in accordance with protected structures legislation.

The full draft plan is available to read right here.

Public Consultation

The Council’s Draft Climate Action Plan is now open for public consultation, and those looking to have their say can do so until Thursday 2^nd November 2023, through the following avenues:

online at Yoursay.dublincity.ie/Dublin-city-climate-action-plan-2024-2029
at Dublin City Council Civic Offices, Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.30 pm
at the following Council libraries during normal opening hours, during the consultation period:
- Central Library
- Pearse St. Library
- Kevin St. Library
- Ballymun Library
- Finglas Library
October 17^th in the Round Room of the Mansion House from 4pm to 8pm

Written submissions can also be made until Thursday 2^nd November 2023, through the following options:

Electronically through the Council’s Public Consultation Portal Yoursay.dublincity.ie/Dublin-city-climate-action-plan-2024-2029 up to 11.59pm on Thursday 2^nd November 2023; or
In writing to the Climate Action Coordinator / Senior Executive Officer at [email protected]

Header image via Getty

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