Mayo ideally located to benefit from new Climate Action Bill
THE new Climate Action Bill, launched this week, marks a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity for Ireland and Mayo, according to the Mayo Green Party.
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 commits to transitioning to a climate resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate-neutral economy by 2050. It makes climate action the law in Ireland. The draft Mayo County Development Plan also states clearly that climate change and climate action are at its heart.
Liam Heffron, chair of the Mayo Green Party, welcomed the Bill and said that it can be hugely beneficial for Mayo because of the county’s strong potential as a location for the generation of renewable energy (off-shore particularly), its natural power storage capacity, the abundance and value of its carbon sinks, and eco-tourism, to name just four areas.
“This Climate Bill is a once in a lifetime opportunity to change our economy and society for the better. Mayo can benefit hugely from this Bill because of our location.
“At the core of the focus on a just transition within this Bill is that new industry and jobs should move to where the power is. The west has a big advantage in off both shore wind and power storage capabilities,” he said.
“Just to focus on one opportunity - Mayo is an ideal location for data centres, because we already have Atlantic fibre connections to the Americas,” he continued.
“There will be a sustainable supply of renewable power. The low year round temperatures can be used to cool the equipment and the excess heat could be used to provide warm central heating and hot water to hospitals and schools, if the data centres are planned in the right locations, for example.
“Mayo can be a leader in the development of carbon neutral data centres. This is the way we have to think to be future ready.”
The government is launching a public consultation on the plan. The Mayo Green Party encouraged people to join the conversation and have your say on Mayo’s climate future.
The Bill strengthens the role of the Climate Change Advisory Council, enabling them to propose carbon budgets in line with the Paris Agreement and other international obligations, which will include all forms of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bill was first published in October 2020, before going to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny. The Bill now contains most of the amendments proposed by the Joint Committee and will go into the Oireachtas as priority legislation. This is a signature piece of Green legislation and a commitment in the Programme for Government.