Communities in Mayo to benefit from Climate Action Fund - Dillon
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Environment and Energy, Alan Dillon TD, has announced €609,000 in funding has been allocated to Mayo County Council from the Climate Action Fund (CAF), aimed at empowering communities to lead the transition to low-carbon living.
“This funding will help communities across Mayo take meaningful steps toward building a more sustainable future,” Minister Dillon said. “Local action is at the heart of climate progress, and this investment recognises the power of people working together in their own towns and villages.”
This 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. Phase 1 of strand 1 of the programme saw €24 million supporting 650 community climate action projects across the country.
Today, phase 2 of the programme was launched, which sees the funding being provided from the CAF to all local authorities to partner with community groups, and 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; local climate and environmental action.
This strand is administered by the Community Climate Officers (CCAO) in 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.
Minister Dillon said: “I want to commend Lorna Dennehy, Community Climate Action Officer and all staff at Mayo County Council. This programme is a perfect example of how local ambitions can be supported in our communities. All community groups should engage with their local authority to make full advantage of the supports available.”
If a community group would like to learn more about the climate action fund, then they should contact their local CCAO by visiting here: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/publications/climate-action-fund/#community-climate-action-programme