Over €600k for climate action projects in Louth

Over €600k has been allocated to Louth County Council from the Climate Action Fund (CAF) for local authorities to support and build low carbon communities across the country.

The funding comes as part of the Community Climate Action Programme, which supports projects and initiatives that facilitate community climate action through education, capacity building and learning by doing. Phase 1 of Strand 1 of the programme saw €24 million supporting 650 community climate action projects across the country.

Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O'Brien, has announced funding of almost €27 million nationally and launched phase 2 of the programme, which sees the funding being provided from the CAF to all local authorities to partner with community groups to run projects that will contribute to national climate and energy targets. The programme supports direct engagement with communities to promote and assist in the scale up of community climate action.

Community projects eligible for this guidance and potential funding will address the following five themes:

• community energy
• travel
• food and waste
• shopping and recycling, and
• local climate and environmental action

Speaking about the launch, Minister O’Brien said:

"Taking climate action is a global challenge, but our local communities across Ireland are at the heart of the effort. Through the Community Climate Action Programme (CCAP), people in towns and villages nationwide have already come together to make real change — from installing solar panels on community centres, to creating shared bike schemes, restoring local biodiversity, and reducing energy use in public buildings. 

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“With the launch of the new phase of CCAP, local authorities can continue empowering community groups to take practical steps that build vibrant, low-carbon, and resilient communities for generations to come."

This strand is administered by the Community Climate Officers (CCAO) in our local authorities, who are there as a go-to resource to guide, support, and advise groups and organisations on how they can become lower carbon communities.

If a community group would like to learn more they should contact their local CCAO, details can be found on the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment's website.