25 September 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork County Council’s Climate Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024 was adopted Monday morning at Full Council Meeting in Cork County Hall. Climate Adaptation relates to addressing the impacts of climate change and under the National Adaptation Framework, each local authority must adopt a Climate Adaptation Strategy on or before the 30th of September 2019.
The initial Draft Strategy was launched at Full Council on July 8th and underwent a six week period of Public Consultation from July 15th to August 26th during which 59 submissions were received. Submissions were largely supportive of the necessity to take actions in relation to climate change, both adaptation and mitigation.
On September 16th a special development committee workshop with Cork County Council’s Elected Members was held to discuss the public submissions on the Climate Adaptation Strategy Draft B 2019-2024.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey welcomed the news saying “The Climate Adaptation Strategy adopted at full Council was produced by the Environment Directorate of Cork County Council and is a five year road map identifying key climate change risks for the county and ensuring climate adaptation actions and considerations are mainstreamed into policymaking and all functions, operations and services of Cork County Council.”
Mr Lucey continued “Cork County Council is fully committed to mainstreaming climate change considerations into the delivery of its services and affecting change in terms of climate adaptation.”
Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan, commented “Climate change is the defining issue of our time and we are at a defining moment. Scientists predict that catastrophic climate change will involve widespread destruction of property and infrastructure, major political unrest, mass migrations of climate refugees and the eventual breakdown of our food production systems. I welcome the adoption of this Strategy as Cork County Council has a pivotal role to play in County Cork to adapting to Climate Change. The Climate Adaptation Strategy provides a framework to facilitate this.”
Cork County Council’s Climate Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024 is available at www.corkcoco.ie
