Waterford City and County Council has launched the Local Area Climate Action Plan for Waterford 2024–2029.

The plan outlines the work that the Council will undertake over the next five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its own operations and in the wider city and county. The plan also provides a roadmap for the work the Local Authority will undertake in preparation for extreme weather events and changing weather patterns. It covers everything from buildings and infrastructure to parks and reducing waste.

Some examples of actions set out in the plan relating to the County include:

• Short term (by 2025): Provide training to all Council staff on how their work is impacted by Climate Change.

• Medium term (by 2027): Replace fossil fuels with renewable fuel in Council fleet.

• Long term (by 2029): Deliver over €1m worth of Community Climate Projects or deliver a 50% improvement in energy efficiency across Council buildings.

Some examples of actions set out in the plan relating to the city include:

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• Short term: Deliver a carpooling app for the city.

• Medium term: Deliver a Rain Gardens project to reduce run off in flooding and to help the public to plant gardens that hold onto excess rain.

• Long term: Work with partners to deliver a District Heating system for the city.

Mayor of Waterford City and County Cllr. Joe Conway launched the Local Area Climate Action Plan for Waterford with student 'climate ambassadors' from Presentation Secondary School, who took part in the Council's first Student Climate Conference last year.

Mayor Conway said: "This plan clearly sets out the objectives for Waterford City and County Council to ensure Waterford becomes a low-carbon, sustainable, safe and healthy place to live and grow. The onus is on all of us in Waterford City and County Council to make day-to-day changes, no matter how small, that will cumulatively protect our environment and biodiversity and enhance our health and well-being."

Grainne Kennedy, Climate Action Officer with Waterford City and County Council said: "Taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or to adapt to climate change will be part of everyone in the Council’s work. From the Roads Engineer designing drainage based on the changing weather patterns, to the Housing Officer upgrading existing homes and making them more energy efficient, to the Community Liaison Officer encouraging communities to consider climate adaptation and energy saving in their projects, we all have a part to play.

"Public opinion was crucial in the creation of this plan and to ensure that the public was happy with what was put forward, the Climate Action Team ran two consultations to collect people’s suggestions and held 23 community events across the city and county. These events included the County’s first Student Climate Conference, where young people from nine secondary schools in Waterford spent a day in City Hall workshopping and setting out what actions they wanted to see included in the Climate Action Plan."

Image: Patrick Browne