The members of Wicklow County Council adopted the Wicklow Climate Action Plan 2024 – 2029 on Monday the 8th January at the Ordinary Meeting, pursuant to Section 16 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021.
The Plan provides a roadmap for taking decisive action to transition to a lower carbon and more climate resilient future for the citizens of County Wicklow.
Our overarching goal is to transition to a climate resilient, biodiverse, sustainable, and carbon-neutral County by 2050. The plan builds on Wicklow County Council's commitment to the Local Authority Climate Charter, pledging to achieve a 51% reduction in carbon emissions and a 50% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.
Mitigation and adaptation measures will be delivered across the services and functions delivered by the Council.
The Plan features a range of actions which are aligned to the following five themes:
- Governance & leadership
- Built Environment & Transport
- Natural Environment & Green infrastructure
- Communities Resilience & Transition
- Sustainability & Resource Management
Chapter 4 contains the 112 Actions for the County while chapter 5 Arklow highlights 23 Actions for the Arklow Decarbonisation Zone. Arklow has been designated as a pilot decarbonisation zone, where the Council will test mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity measures and replicate on a wider scale. Our vision is to develop a low-carbon, vibrant town with a strong focus on renewable resources and sustainable living.
Our Climate Action Plan incorporates robust structures and processes for ongoing monitoring and reporting. Each action will be accompanied by defined indicators to gauge progress accurately.
The council are committed to aligning the reporting of Wicklow County Council's climate actions with the National Climate Action Plan and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring transparency and Accountability.
Climate Change is linked to biodiversity loss and is the defining challenge of our time.
Wicklow County Council declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019 and signed the Climate Charter that year also. Through the charter, Wicklow County Council made a commitment to lead by transforming how it operates and also engage community action across County Wicklow. Biodiversity will have a central role in delivering a resilient future, including delivering nature based solutions.