COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 11, 2009

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

That this Council notes the Council's draft Climate Change Policy document, in particular the lack of emphasis given to adaptation issues, requests the Manager to write to the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government seeking information on progress by his Department in producing a National Policy on Adaptation for Climate Change, as promised in the Government's White Paper on Climate Change, and recommends that in the period available for the completion of the Council's policy the draft document be amended to include sections on adaptation, in accordance with best practice policies and actions implemented in other countries by local and regional governments. 

REPORT:

The National Climate Change Strategy 2007 – 2012 states that ‘as part of a comprehensive policy position on climate change, the Government is committed to developing a national adaptation strategy over the next two years. This strategy will provide a framework for the integration of adaptation issues into decision-making at national and local level.’  In accordance with the identified time frame such an adaptation strategy is due during the course of 2009.  If this motion is passed by the Council correspondence will be issued to the Minister as suggested.

South Dublin County Council is currently awaiting the publication of the national policy on adaptation measures to ensure that any potential future adaptation measures taken by the Council will be consistent with national policy.   The Council's Draft Climate Change Strategy sets out measures with an emphasis on mitigation and prevention measures and states that upon publication of the national policy on adaptation a new section will be inserted which will be consistent with that national policy.   The details of this motion were  included among the submissions made to the Council through the consultation process on its Draft Climate Change Strategy and were noted by the SPC.