Kilkenny County Council has today renewed its commitment to the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, a voluntary initiative of local governments in Europe. In doing so the Council has committed, alongside other EU local authorities, to implement EU climate and energy objectives, and secure a better future for their citizens. The main objectives of the Covenant are to reduce greenhouse gas emission, strengthen resilience to climate change, and address energy poverty.
Kilkenny County Council originally signed the Covenant in 2015. It is timely to renew the commitment, given the election of a new Council in June, the adoption of the inaugural Kilkenny County Council Climate Action Plan earlier this year, and the fact that the EU updated the Covenant in the last few years.
Signing the Covenant, Cathaoirleach of Kilkenny County Council, Cllr. Michael McCarthy said “Recommitting to this Climate and Energy Covenant demonstrates the leadership role that Kilkenny County Council is taking on climate action, and our commitment to supporting a just transition for our citizen’s. We count on the Government and European Institutions to provide the support and resources to enable us to make this happen”.
Cllr. Eugene McGuinness, Chair of the Council’s Strategic Policy Committee on Environment Protection, Climate Action & Energy (SPC4) said “This is an important voluntary Covenant, supported by thousands of local authorities across Europe, which puts citizens at the heart of climate action.”
According to Dearbhala Ledwidge, Climate Action Coordinator “The aims of this EU Covenant aligns with the vision and aims of the Kilkenny County Council Climate Action Plan adopted earlier this year. We in the Climate Action Office will continue to pro-actively support and promote the Council’s delivery of both in the coming years”.
