Climate Change Action Plan 2019-2024
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DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLAN 2019-2024 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2020 This Annual Progress Report for the Climate Change Action Plan has been prepared by the Dublin City Council Climate Action team in conjunction with the Dublin energy agency Codema and the Dublin Metropolitan Climate Action Regional Office (CARO) and in partnership with the Environment Strategic Policy Committee and the Elected Members of Dublin City Council. FOREWORD The City Council is the largest local authority in Ireland, the impacts of future climate change-related events; serves the citizens of the Capital, and is determined to be the leading local authority meeting the challenges Resilience is being increased through cross- of climate change. The first City Council Climate departmental work on incorporating nature based Change Action Plan (CCAP), which was submitted to solutions, ongoing improvements to the pedestrian the Department in September 2019 is our first step and cycling infrastructure, developing the District in delivering on this commitment. This plan sets out Heating scheme for the City and delivery of flood how the Council will improve energy efficiency and defences. Resilience is also being increased through reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in our own citizen engagement to foster behaviour change buildings and operations, whilst making Dublin a more and build awareness of climate risks and how climate resilient city. It contains four main targets, with to respond. Related actions also contribute to progress to date as follows: improving air quality and enhancing biodiversity. Examples of such schemes include the Santry (i) A 33% improvement in the Council’s energy and Dodder greening works, planting in Nicolas efficiency by 2020; and Chatham Streets, and projects in schools, private and public areas of the City; each increases The City Council achieved a 36.5% energy efficiency resilience and enhances the living environment for improvement by the end of 2019. This was achieved citizens. by way of improvements to public lighting, civic buildings, leisure, Fire Brigade and library facilities, (iv) To actively engage and inform citizens on climate each of these being identified in the Annual Energy change. Reviews and monitored through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) monitoring and The City Council has engaged with the citizens reporting platform. of the City on various levels and through many networks including: climate workshops with city (ii) A 40% reduction in the Council’s GHG emissions by neighbourhood groups; training for businesses; and, 2030; community engagement on greening initiatives, such as the Stoneybatter Greening Strategy. Each is This target is monitored using a glide path in the delivering community and climate benefits. DCC Energy Efficiency review and it is noted that the current EU target for Ireland, is a 30% reduction In conclusion, the City Council has delivered on the by 2030, the council’s target is a more ambitious targets set in the first CCAP and will, together with target of 40% in line with the COM targets. Our Councillors, businesses and communities, continue retrofitting work, commitment to the Breathlife WHO to develop and enhance the Plan to make the City targets, and transition to more Electric Vehicles of Dublin a climate resilient city that delivers a high within our fleet have given us a solid foundation quality living environment to its citizens. on which to deliver on this target. Ongoing work involves consultation with Council members and Céline Reilly, the public, together with development of the Energy Executive Manager, Masterplan. Environment and Transportation Department, Dublin City Council (iii) To make Dublin a climate resilient city by reducing October 2020 INTRODUCTION Dublin City Council’s Climate Change Action Plan 2019- In June 2020 the Climate Action Coordinator was 2024 was approved on 13th May 2019 in accordance appointed, and has been working with the Climate with the National Adaptation Framework – Planning Action Teams (see graphic on page 4) to monitor for a Climate Resilient Ireland 2018 (NAF)1. The progress on the CCAP. Monitoring of progress is Plan was also completed in accordance with the quarterly and progress reports are provided to the requirements of the Covenant of Mayors (COM)2 for Environment Strategic Policy Committee (SPC). The Climate & Energy to which Dublin City Council is a reports are provided based on thematic area. Since signatory. the implementation of the CCAP the SPC has received presentations on progress from Flood Resilience In 2019, the Council's Plan set out four key targets and (November 2019), Energy and Buildings (January 219 actions that the Council would undertake in the 2020), Transport (July 2020), Nature Based Solutions areas of energy & buildings, transport, flood resilience, (September 2020) and Resource Management nature-based solutions and resource management. (September 2020). The implementation of actions in Since the Plan's publication, the number of actions has the CCAP has been challenging due to COVID however, reduced to 203, due to the Council combining some as will be evident in this report, significant progress actions for efficiency and recognising that a number has been made with 83% of actions ongoing, and 6% of actions are now being managed by national or completed. Only 10% of the actions have not been government bodies. started. Of these actions, a number are not due to commence for another 5 years, for example Phases II The Plan was developed by Dublin City Council and III of Public Realm Strategies. in conjunction with the City of Dublin Energy Management Agency (Codema) and the Dublin Climate Beyond the CCAP, the Climate Action Team has Action Regional Office (CARO). The Plan was subject developed and has begun implementing an to public consultation and Strategic Environmental engagement strategy to strengthen our capacity to Assessment processes. Dublin City Council has engage with citizens. It is a two-phase strategy, the committed to reviewing and reporting on this Plan first phase which commenced in October involved annually, in line with the requirements of the NAF and workshops with Area Offices. The workshops included COM processes. presentations on the CCAP and various programmes and projects such as the Staff Mobility Hub, Dublin This report refers to the reporting period from 30th District Heating, Air Quality Monitoring, MODOS and September 2019 to 31st October 2020. Refer to flood alleviation works. The second phase, which is the action tables in this document for supporting set to begin in January 2021 depending on COVID, will information. be in two parts. The first part will be a collaborative project to retrofit housing with nature-based solutions to adapt our housing stock to future climate risks. The second part will work to the ‘hopes and concerns’ of communities discussed in phase one. The format of these will be developed with community officers and public domain officers in the respective Area Offices to guarantee that we are responding to community asks. The Climate Action Team recognises the role of DCC in engaging with citizens - without collaboration with communities achieving the targets of the CCAP will be impossible. 1 DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE Action PLAN – ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2020 INT R ODUCTION 203 ACTIONS Postponed 1% Not Started 10% Ongoing 83% Complete 6% Action AREA COMPLETE ONGOING Postponed not started Energy & Buildings 2 actions 30 actions 0 actions 6 actions Transport 3 actions 55 actions 1 action 3 actions Flood Resilience 4 actions 35 actions 1 action 1 action Nature-Based Solutions 1 action 19 actions 0 actions 5 actions Resource Management 2 actions 30 actions 0 actions 5 actions TOTALS 12 169 2 20 DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL CLIMATE CHANGE Action PLAN – ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2020 2 UPDATES TO POLICY AND LEGISLATION required and that burdens borne must be seen to be SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE CCAP fair across society. Developing the opportunities in a decarbonising economy is recognised as a key pillar to the Climate Action Plan and in this regard the Plan envisages The policy and legislative context relating to climate that existing initiatives and structures will be mobilised action has developed since the adoption of the CCAP. to maximise enterprise opportunities. Kieran Mulvey The Climate Action Plan 2019 – To Tackle Climate was appointed Just Transition Commissioner by the Breakdown3 represents the Governments all of society Government and his first report was released in April 2020. approach, aimed at enabling Ireland to meet its EU targets The report acknowledges the challenge ahead and that to reduce its carbon emissions by 30% between 2021 the transition will impact all sectors, given this, policies and 2030, and lay the foundations for achieving net zero and programmes will need to consider and anticipate carbon emissions by 2050. The Plan contains a range future social implications of the transition and impacts of of multi-stakeholder actions across a variety of sectors climate change in their design. including the local authority sector. It also highlights the leadership role of the public sector, including local The Climate Action Plan 2019 – First Progress Report5 authorities, and the importance of citizen engagement and outlined the main milestones reached across sectors since community leadership. At the heart of the Plan, is the key the publication of the National Climate Plan. In terms of message that climate action requires a range of thematic the local authority sector, it noted the signing of a Climate areas to work together to meet the challenge. Action Charter by each local authority; a survey of local authorities6 to establish a baseline of current climate A noteworthy action of the Plan was the requirement by change activities and establish best practices; the role local authorities to develop and sign a new Climate Action of Local Authorities in town hall meetings to progress Charter. This Charter was signed by all local authorities community engagement on climate action and the role of in November 2019.