ACTION! Fermanagh & Omagh launch first Climate Action Plan in Northern Ireland

Fermanagh and Omagh District Council have launched the first Climate Action Plan by a local authority in Northern Ireland. Sustainable NI is proud to have contributed to and supported the development of this important milestone towards net-zero locally.

Nichola Hughes, Director of Sustainable NI said: “Sustainable NI was pleased to work with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on the development of this plan which explains how the Council will respond to the climate emergency and transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy. We hope other councils will follow their lead in bringing forward ambitious integrated plans designed to tackle the climate and nature crisis head on.”

The Council is committed to playing its part in the fight against the climate crisis. In February 2021, the Council approved its Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy: "Restore, Revive, Thrive – Our Environment", setting out what the Council will do over the next decade to mitigate climate change and counter the severity of climate impacts locally.

In October 2021, the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Action Plan was approved detailing the actions that will support the Council's strategy including how it will focus efforts on reducing Council emissions in areas such as energy & buildings, resource management, transport and land use.

The Climate Change and Sustainable Development Action Plan highlights the actions to be taken and implemented from 2021-2024, detailing how the Council will achieve the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Strategy outcomes. 

Key points of the Action Plan are the commitment of the Council to achieving Net-Zero by 2040 in its operations and Net-Zero by 2042 in the District; collaborating with stakeholders to accelerate the transition to Net-Zero and making the District more resilient to extreme weather and flooding; investing in energy efficiency, net-zero supply chain, protection of natural resources. An essential feature is the binding integration of climate considerations into all capital and revenue decisions. 

The Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Climate Change and Sustainable Development Action Plan is available to download here.