Mr. Nicholas Crossan:

As AILG president, I thank the Chair and the committee members for affording us the opportunity to meet the committee today and contribute to the committee's work and discuss both the challenges and opportunities for local authorities in climate action. The AILG's director, Mr. Tommy Moylan, is with me today.

Climate change is the defining issue of our time with all sections of society aware that we must deal with the reality of climate change. All sectors of society and the economy need to act now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and thus avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The local government sector is no different. Local authorities have long been at the front line in dealing with extreme weather events and as these extremes become more frequent, local authorities must ensure local adaptation to a changed climate. The all-of-government climate action plan is a measure of how involved councils will be in addressing the climate challenge. The current programme for Government commits to an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, a 51% reduction over a decade and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The 2050 target has been set in law by the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 with every sector contributing to meeting this target.

In order to ensure that the local government sector plays its part in achieving the 51% reduction, it is essential that we build the capacity of local authorities to lead locally and to engage citizens and communities on climate change and biodiversity. Local authorities are key decision makers regarding choices relating to energy use, buildings, transport, waste management, green infrastructure and the many other initiatives that can help reduce our emissions. The sector has already commenced this work in leading the local challenge to climate change with the establishment of the regional climate action offices, CAROs, in 2018, which have driven climate action responses at local level including building capacity, awareness and training with both local authority staff and elected members.

The CARO offices have developed a comprehensive local authority climate action training programme for all local authority staff and the 949 elected members. This training has been rolled out over the past 12 months with tailored training for the members and staff in championing leadership to harness that local leadership role of the members in driving effective climate action.

All local authorities, including the cathaoirligh and mayors, have co-signed the Climate Action Charter for Local Authorities and they have been formally adopted in each individual council. The charter commits local authorities to several actions that will ensure that they play a key leadership role, locally and nationally, in delivering effective climate action.

Local authorities have also prepared and published their climate action plans. Further initiatives for the local authorities will include leading the energy transition by retrofitting their social housing stock, reducing our dependence on high-carbon transport systems by providing safe cycling and walking infrastructure, ensuring that local development plans are developed to stimulate economic growth and ensuring no sector of society or community is left behind in the movement to a low-carbon future.

We, in AILG, are committed to ensuring that the elected members have the required training, knowledge and tools to lead and champion the local response to climate change. We have had extensive engagement over the past number of years with the Department's national emergency management directorate and Met Éireann which have provided briefings to the members on the local authority response to severe weather events and mitigation of severe climate events. As well as working with the CARO offices on the roll-out of their training programme, the AILG have also delivered a comprehensive training programme with the Office of the Planning Regulator and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the development plan review process to include areas such as decarbonisation, focusing on the implementation of national climate policy and the roll-out of new energy sources and active travel. We have also just delivered a training module for our members on local government and the sustainable development goals, SDGs. It is important that the members and local authorities embed the SDGs in their county and city plans and local area plans. The members must also ensure that the SDGs are integral to council policy development across all departments. The AILG has also engaged extensively and participated on the advisory body on the marine planning and development Bill and also currently participates on the advisory body on the new national waste and circular economy action plan.

The AILG is delighted to partner with UCC this year in developing a level 7 certificate in continuing education professional development in climate crisis and local government. This Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, approved level 7 certificate has been designed specifically for councillors. It will cover up-to-date policies and initiatives, such as the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act and the climate action plan. Twenty-six of the AILG's members have just completed this course and are awaiting final results. As we have stated, one of the new emerging roles and responsibilities of the local government sector is responding to the challenges of climate change. It is imperative that the members have the necessary knowledge, education and leadership expertise to lead this challenge and the availability of a bespoke accredited course in climate action is of vital importance for the AILG and its members.

However, as local authorities rise to the challenge of leading the local response to climate change, they also face a number of challenges, particularly around resources. Over the last ten-to-15 years, local authorities have seen a reduction on staff numbers and if the targets on climate action set by the Government are to be delivered at local government level, local authorities will require much-needed additional resources. The AILG welcomes the commitment in the programme for Government that every local authority will have a sufficient number of biodiversity and heritage officers among its staff complement. However, additional staff resources will be needed to work with communities and the public on local initiatives to achieve out climate targets.

Additional resources will also be required for the local government sector in respect of the core philosophy of a just transition and to ensure that no sector of society or community is left behind in the movement to a low-carbon future.

I thank the Chairman and members for listening to our submission. We look forward to participating in the debate.