Climate Change
Dublin’s climate is changing, and this poses significant risks and challenges to all of those living in the region. In response to this, South Dublin County Council produced the Climate Change Action Plan 2019-2024 in association with Codema (Dublin’s Energy Agency) and the Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office (CARO). We have also developed our own Climate Change website.
Climate Change Action Plan
As extreme weather events become more common in Ireland there is clearly the need to reduce the impacts that we are on our environment, thereby reducing the impact of climate change on our economy and the citizens of South Dublin.
In a collaborative response to climate change in the Dublin Region the four Dublin local authorities, the Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office (CARO), and the City of Dublin Energy Management Agency (Codema) together to develop four Climate Change Action Plans. While each plan is unique to its functional area, a unified approach was taken to examine the challenges responding to submissions that were appropriate and regionalised. An information video is available to view here.
Following public consultation in early 2019, the Chief Executive’s report on submissions received was presented to the Elected Members of Council who unanimously voted to accept the draft and the plan proceeded to final publication.
What now?
The plan is now published and South Dublin County Council is working towards achieving its four main targets:
- A 50% improvement in the Council’s energy efficiency by 2030,
- A 51% reduction in the Council’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050
- To make Dublin a climate resilient region, by reducing the impacts of future climate change-related events,
- To actively engage and inform citizens on climate change.
A Climate Change Team is working with Action Teams across the five main action areas to ensure the plan is delivered effectively.
A sample of the actions across South Dublin County Councils five main action areas include:
Energy and Buildings:
- Upgrade 4000 Public Lights to LED and lighting within Council buildings to LED
- Energy performance upgrades of Council owned leisure facilities
- Development of the Tallaght District Heating Scheme. This project takes waste heat from a commercial data centre and redirects it to nearby buildings. The network initially will provide heat to 32,800m2 of public buildings. Customers of Heatworks include SDCC and Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin). Buildings heated by this project include County Hall, Tallaght County Library, the SDCC Innovation Centre- Work IQ, and 133 affordable apartments, which will connect in early 2025. The university buildings include the Main Building, the Sports-Science, Health and Recreation Building, followed by the new Catering College (CAET), to be completed in 2024.
- Energy efficient retrofits of the Council’s social housing stock to include solar
Transport:
- Expand the County’s Green Routes and Cycle Network
- Introduction of more electric vehicles into the Council’s fleet
- Continue to promote a modal shift to active low carbon travel. The council has already installed 51 bicycle facilities across the county as well as cycle lockers
Flood Resilience:
- Development of further flood alleviation schemes in the County such as Whitechurch and the Poddle
- Cross-boundary flood management with neighbouring local authorities
- Coordinating our emergency response plans
Nature-Based Solutions:
- Development of our wildflower meadows to encourage pollination
- Expansion of our community gardens and allotments for local food production
- Develop list of species native to County and map of habitats that are at risk
Resource Management:
- Introduction of public water fountains to reduce reliance on single use plastics
- Continued support and promotion of local tidy towns initiatives
- Further development of food waste campaigns for schools and businesses
A Citizen Engagement Action Group has also been established to ensure participation and awareness levels amongst the community in South Dublin.
