Cork City celebrates its Community Climate Leaders

Last night Cork City acknowledged communities who are delivering on key climate action across the city at an event called the Community Climate Leaders Mingle in the Clayton Hotel. 23 community groups have received a share of €860,000 to support the city’s climate and biodiversity ambitions. Cork City Council’s Community Climate Action Fund is supported by the Department of Environment, Climate & Communications, and will see concrete actions such as the installation of solar panels and tree planting be delivered on throughout the entire city.

The event was a celebration of all Community Climate Action taking place in Cork City. In attendance too were social enterprises, arts groups and artists, and other community groups interested in applying for the next round of Community Climate Action Funding. The event provided a platform for all these groups to meet and learn from each other about what they too could apply for in the next round of funding (due sometime in 2025).

You can find a description of each of the twenty three climate action projects funded under the Community Climate Action Fund below.

https://publications.corkcity.ie/view/1045657196/

Amongst the groups who have benefited from this funding are hurling and football clubs, rugby clubs, gardening projects, community centres, community associations and a heritage building (see notes to editor for further detail). There are three categories of funding: small (less than €20,000), medium (€20,000-€50,000) and large (€50,000-€100,000). The fund will run over 18 months and will be supported by a dedicated Community Climate Action Officer employed by Cork City Council. The projects funded will enable communities to carry out significant energy efficiency upgrades, deliver bike libraries, composting, community gardening, green walls, tree planting and solar PV roofs amongst a host of other projects that will reduce carbon emissions and support community climate resilience.

Lord Mayor Cllr. Dan Boyle said: “It is important that we acknowledge and celebrate the work of communities taking positive climate action. Many of the groups we are supporting with the fund never saw themselves as Climate Leaders before the launch of the fund. Today, they are leading out on the concrete actions that we help us meet our climate targets, and it is with great pride that I have the honour to celebrate the communities at this event”

Colette McCarthy, treasurer of one of the beneficiaries, St Finbarrs Hurling & Football Club, said: “Access to this fund has changed the climate action landscape for St Finbarr's as a volunteer-run club, allowing us to turn a pipedream into a tangible reality.  Submitting our application focused our actions. We now have a sustainability committee and have undertaken an SEAI funded Energy Action Plan - and that's all before hearing the news that funding has been approved!  We are excited to get started and be leading out on climate action in Cork City.’’