COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 14, 2011

MOTION NO. 25 (i)

MOTION: Councillor E. Tuffy

That this Council, noting that in other countries many Local and Regional Governments have put in place and are implementing Climate Change Adaptation Strategies, requests the Manager to write to the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government, urging the Minister to publish, at the earliest possible date, a National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, promised by Government in 2007, so that this Council, and neighbouring Local Authorities, can develop local and regional policies on Adaptation for inclusion in their overall Climate Change Policies.

REPORT:

South Dublin County Council (SDCC), through the Environment SPC has prepared a climate change strategy for South Dublin.  This draft strategy has been prepared in association with CODEMA.

CO2, due to the amount released, is the greenhouse gas that has the strongest effect on climate change and the strategy focuses primarily on the reduction of CO2 gases.  CO2 mainly comes from the combustion of fossil fuels and our use of energy which is commonly in the form of fossil fuels, is strongly connected to climate change.  Due to the release of these gases the climate has already started to change and will continue to do so giving higher glove average temperatures, higher sea levels and changes in weather patterns leading to more extreme events with risk of extended periods of extensive flooding.

CO2 emissions in the County can be divided between five major sectors - residential, services, manufacturing, transport and agriculture.  There are also some emissions from the waste management sector.

The Climate Change Strategy for South Dublin County Council is in accordance with the National Climate Change Strategy and with other agencies and State Departments.  Close co-operation with all the local authorities in the Dublin Region is envisaged.  The strategy will cover the years 2009-2012 in the short-term, but also takes into account a medium-term view to 2020 and beyond.  Once each year the strategy will be reviewed and updated.

The Council is committed to a 30% Energy and Carbon Emissions reduction by 2020 in line with EU directives.  The Council strategy commits to the preparation of a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) in line with the protocols of the Covenant of  Mayors.  South Dublin County Council will join the Covenant of Mayors group in 2011 in line with the requests of the Elected members. A carbon base-line for the County as a whole will be completed in the coming months.  A further base-line for the carbon-footprint of the Council including its buildings, fleet and public lighting will be completed within a number of weeks.  Energy saving opportunities will be evaluated and actioned based on these base-line figures between now and 2020.