Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has become the first local authority in Northern Ireland to officially launch a Climate Change and Sustainable Development Action Plan.

The 2021 – 2024 Action Plan has been developed in follow up to the Council's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy: Restore, Revive, Thrive – Our Environment, which was approved by Council earlier this year.

Speaking at the launch of the Action Plan, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Cllr Errol Thompson commented: "I am delighted to see that our Council is leading the way in the fight against climate change. Our Climate Change and Sustainable Development Action Plan details the actions behind our Strategy including how we will focus our efforts on reducing council emissions in areas such as energy & buildings, resource management, transport and land use. We will embed Just Transition principles into our actions to support a net zero and climate resilient economy in a way that delivers fairness and tackles inequality and injustice.

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"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the pupils from the Post-16 class in Arvalee School in Omagh for coming up with the name of our Strategy and Action Plan: Restore, Revive, Thrive – Our Environment."

Today's launch of the Action Plan coincides with Local Government Day at the COP26 event, 11 November, which is taking place in Glasgow from 31 Oct until 12 November.

Nichola Hughes, Director of Sustainable NI, commented: "Sustainable NI was pleased to work with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on the development of this plan which explains how the Council will respond to the climate emergency and transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy. We hope other councils will follow their lead in bringing forward ambitious integrated plans designed to tackle the climate and nature crisis head on."