Breath of fresh air for climate action

Community groups across Cork are breathing clean air into climate action through a new programme addressing climate change and the biodiversity crisis.

The groups have been working tirelessly for several months as part of Cork City Council’s Community Climate Action Programme. The groups worked with Cork Environmental Forum facilitators in discovering what climate action can look like in a visceral manner while also creating a strategy for them as groups to continue working towards their individual goals.

Bernie Connolly, Development Coordinator of Cork Environmental Forum, said the programme had proved extremely important in assessing where communities are in their journey to support climate action and combat biodiversity loss in Cork city. Ms Connolly said: “It is a crucial step in building a collaborative approach to increasing the momentum and action for both in the city.”

The programme is a part of Ireland’s National Climate Strategy to deliver on the citizen engagement and community leadership goals in the Climate Action Plan 2021. It also incorporates the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Deirdre Forde said: “This new programme has community at the heart of it. I am so proud of the individuals involved in this wonderful programme and heartened by the very real action these individuals have taken. The future for us here in Cork and beyond is bright when we can see the good work of so many coming to the fore.”

Taking park in the programme were communities from Waterloo, Blarney, Kilcully, Shandon, Gurranabraher, Turner’s Cross, Ballincollig, Douglas, Bishopstown, South Parish, and Mayfield, along with members of Naomh Óg na Chorcaí and the Missionary Sister of our Lady of Apostles in Ballintemple.