Over €770,000 for Cavan communities to undertake climate action projects

Cavan County Council has awarded funding of €771,961 to twenty-seven community groups to undertake community climate action projects locally.

This funding, made available by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications under the Community Climate Action Fund, offers an opportunity to build low carbon, climate resilient communities and reduce the future impact of climate change whist working towards a more sustainable future.

These capital funded projects will address five thematic areas: community energy; travel; food and waste; shopping and recycling and local climate and environmental action.

Under Strand 1 of this Fund, €439,000 was allocated to seventeen community groups in Cavan and a further allocation under Strand 1a for cross border, shared island projects, of €332,961.14 to five climate action projects involving 10 community groups across Cavan and Northern Ireland.

Following the announcement of projects under the Community Climate Action Programme, Cllr TP O’Reilly, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, said, “This programme has been embraced by community groups throughout County Cavan, who recognise its potential to facilitate real change in their communities, by providing the necessary funding to undertake local climate action projects that will positively contribute to meeting Ireland’s national targets for carbon reduction”.

The implementation of these climate action projects will see increased use of renewable energy, the creation of energy efficiencies with lighting, heating and insulation upgrades, all of which will reduce local reliance on fossil fuels and save community groups money.

Projects will promote the circular economy and encourage the reduction of single use plastics and harvesting of rainwater for use in community settings.

Projects will also promote active travel initiatives by providing safe and secure bicycle parking and bicycle repair resources as well as encourage biodiversity enhancement by planting of native tree species, hedgerows, and pollinator planting.

Paddy Connaughton, Director of Services for Roads and Infrastructure, Climate Change, Environment, and Water Services with Cavan County Council, said, “These projects present an excellent opportunity for community groups and organisations, supported by Cavan County Council, to inspire and scale up community climate action throughout the County. I would like to commend Bróna Keating, Climate Action Coordinator, Tara Smith, Community Climate Action Officer, and the entire Climate Action Team, on their efforts to date in delivery of the Climate Action Plan and the first iteration of the Community Climate Action Fund.”

The full list of approved projects under the Community Climate Action Fund is now available

to view online on Cavan

County Council’s website at: www.cavancoco.ie/CCAF.

It’s expected that a second iteration of the Community Climate Action Fund will open for applications in the future, information and updates on this will also be published on Cavan County Council’s website at: www.cavancoco.ie/climate-action in addition to Cavan County Council’s social media channels.