Community Groups Come Together to Inspire Climate Action in DLR

There was a fantastic turnout last week for the Community Climate Action Programme Workshop, as community groups from across the county came together to explore and share community climate action project ideas. Facilitators from Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and Global Action Plan Ireland joined the event to provide guidance and support. The workshop saw the active participation of various groups, including local residents' associations, Tidy Town Groups, sports clubs, Sustainable Energy Communities, community centres, and community gardens.

Speaking at the opening of the event, An Cathaoirleach Denis O'Callaghan said:

“The Community Climate Action Programme will facilitate projects under the themes of community energy, travel, food and waste, shopping and recycling and local climate and environmental action. I look forward to seeing first-hand the types of innovative projects that will be implemented in our County with support and funding from the Programme.”

The Community Climate Action Programme offers funding for community groups to implement projects in their local areas that directly contribute to climate action. The funding is available for small, medium, and large-scale projects addressing themes such as community energy, travel, food and waste, shopping and recycling, as well as local climate and environmental action. Eligible projects can receive 100% funding, with a maximum limit of €100,000. Applications for the Community Climate Action Programme in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown are open until March 6th, 2024. Those interested can find more information about the Programme at www.dlrcoco.ie/ccap.

Frank Curran, Chief Executive of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, emphasised the importance of taking local climate action. He said,

“As we all know, climate change is not just an issue at the global and national level; it is also a pressing concern within our local area. It is becoming increasingly urgent for us to take action and the Community Climate Action Programme will assist communities to lead out on projects that will have a direct climate action impact”

We will be organising more on-line and in-person workshops this year, providing opportunities for further engagement and collaboration. If your group would like to discuss a project idea in detail, please contact the Community Climate Action Officer at climate@dlrcoco.ie.