Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan launched a new, first of its kind campaign and fund specifically for climate engagement to support and inspire people to take and talk about the climate actions that can improve their local areas.
The campaign, called Climate Actions Work, will focus on encouraging and supporting climate engagement and communications actions. A national radio, print and social media campaign will also get underway to amplify climate actions that are already happening and encouraging more people to get involved. This campaign will roll out over the coming weeks, with a particular focus on local media linked to local actions as it progresses.
The fund is designed as a unique, small-scale, flexible fund that can help community groups spread the word about what they are doing or what they might be planning to do. With a starting pot of €1 million to be distributed over this year and into next, it is intended to support the vital activities that are often not funded – like event organisation, climate advocacy, social media, developing leaflets and information materials, or joining up and working with other groups to take on bigger projects, for example. The fund will be administered by Community Foundation Ireland which as part of its mission of Equality For All in Thriving Communities has been empowering local groups, researchers and advocates to take action on climate and nature since 2000. The foundation’s work in this space is informed by its experience of partnering with 5,000 voluntary, community and charitable groups as a philanthropic hub. A network which continues to grow.
The fund emerged from what the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications learned from working with community groups through the National Dialogue on Climate Action over the last few years. Many community groups and organisations are supported through volunteers who often have to give up nights and days to undertake engagement and communications activities. The fund is intended to provide some support to the incredible work already underway, and to encourage new participation. The fund is particularly designed to support groups to work with audiences who have not previously talked about climate change or the local actions they can take. Priority will be given to funding projects that are innovative – trying out new ideas to reach new audiences.
In addition, this campaign will be supported by a comprehensive training programme and a toolkit supporting community groups in developing and delivering their projects. These will be available for anyone interested in knowing more about how to talk about and engage people on climate action.
Launching the fund at a visit to Baldoyle Wild Town, a 2023 winner of the Tidy Towns Special Award for Climate Action, Minster Ryan said:
“We know that Irish people care about climate change, that they are concerned about its effects on their lives, but importantly that they believe that climate actions work. What’s often difficult is talking about that and spreading the word in a way that will encourage others to get involved. This fund will help communities and organisations come together to discuss how climate change is affecting them and what are the most suitable actions they can take.
“Baldoyle Wild Town is a really inspiring example of what a community can achieve when they come together, talk about climate change in their community, and what they can do to take action. During my visit today I’ve seen diverse examples of how a community can start small to make big changes. Baldoyle Wild Town have undertaken tree-planting, biodiversity, water quality and recycling projects among others, to make their community more climate resilient and a healthier, greener place to live.”
The fund is welcoming applications under three strands:
1. Community Awareness
2. Community Engagement, and
3. Community Activation
Grants of from €2,500 up to €10,000 are available under the different strands.
Applications are open from 2 September and close on 4 October. All applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications by the end of November.
Information is available at: www.gov.ie/climateactionswork.
The Climate Actions Work fund is not intended for taking climate actions themselves, like, for example, installing solar panels or bike racks or purchasing trees or plants for a community garden. There is a variety of funding is already in place to support this kind of local climate action, including the following:
- The Community Climate Action Programme is making €27 million available to community organisations to enhance their climate action, with Community Climate Action Officers in place to work with local authorities and community groups
- The EU Just Transition Fund has made €169 million available to support midlands communities vulnerable to the climate transition
- The National Just Transition Fund has made up to €22.1 million available to a variety of projects to further support communities in this region
Local authorities are key partners in the delivery of community climate initiatives. Each local authority has developed a Climate Action Plan, identifying local climate mitigation and adaptation measures planned and underway and there is a Climate Action Officer and Climate Action Coordinator in place in every local authority to facilitate and support local initiatives.
In addition, the National Dialogue on Climate Action, through its Climate Conversations programme, is identifying barriers to local climate action, and developing tools to evaluate, measure and support climate engagement activities.
ENDS
Climate Actions Work is a national programme of engagement on climate action. It enables people and communities across Ireland to be part of the conversation about climate change. The Climate Actions Work project includes:
- An expanded programme of engagement activities and events, building on the National Dialogue on Climate Action
- Funding and resources for community groups to support climate communications and engagement at a local level
- An interactive map of regional activities that are happening in your area will be available soon
- A national communications campaign to tell the story of community climate actions that are already making a difference
The programme builds on and expands the programme of engagement that has been happening over the last number of years as part of the National Dialogue on Climate Action. The programme also utilises research carried out under the Climate Conversations consultation to identify key barriers to climate action in communities across Ireland. This evidence-based approach ensures that the actions undertaken as part of the programme address climate literacy, education and awareness.
The Community Climate Action Programme comprises a national Climate Action Fund allocation of €24 million and €3 million provided by the Government’s Shared Island Fund to support cross-border and all-island community climate action initiatives.
This landmark climate funding programme, administered by local authorities, provides amounts of up to €100,000 to larger local projects over an 18-month period.
Under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 local authorities must prepare Climate Action Plans for their areas. These plans will align with the latest national climate action plan and adaptation framework.
Local authorities play a crucial role in advancing climate policy locally. Their climate action plans will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to climate change, and ensure that national climate policy is effectively implemented at the local level.
The national fund is providing up to €22.1 million between 2020-2024 to support a diverse range of projects that contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Just Transition region. The fund is coming to an end this year with most projects either closed or in the final stages of delivery.
The EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027 continues to provide for investments of up to €169 million for the economic transition of the midlands region up to 2027. The programme includes three complementary investment priorities which are designed to enhance the regional economy, address existing deprivation and rural depopulation, and place the region on a pathway to a more diverse and resilient economy based on climate neutrality.
- Priority 1: Generating employment for former peat communities by investing in the diversification of the local economy
- Priority 2: Supporting the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded peatlands and regeneration and repurposing of industrial heritage assets
- Priority 3: Providing former peat communities with smart and sustainable mobility options to enable them to benefit directly from the green transition
The Government is taking climate action – protecting nature, preparing for the impacts of climate change, and transforming our heat, energy, and transport systems.
Ireland’s Climate Action Plan lays out a roadmap of actions which will ultimately lead us to meeting our national climate objective of pursuing and achieving, by no later than the end of the year 2050, the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy. It aligns with the legally-binding economy-wide carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings that were agreed by Government in July 2022. Read our latest Climate Action Plan.
Ireland’s Climate Action Plans provide specific actions that government departments, agencies and public bodies will take across sectors, together with a timeline for the completion of each action.
Progress Reports on the Climate Action Plans are prepared by the Department of the Taoiseach and published each quarter to track progress made by Government.
This is important for accountability between successive annual Climate Action Plans. Read Climate Action Plan Progress Reports.
The public sector will take a leading role in helping to achieve the country’s climate goals after Cabinet’s approval of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2023.
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has also developed a Public Sector Climate Action Strategy 2023-2025, in collaboration with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency, departments and State agencies. The strategy aims to put the public sector on a clear pathway to achieving at least a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and a 50% improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.
For more information on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate and the Public Sector Climate Action Strategy 2023-2025, visit Public Sector Climate Action.