Community Climate Action Programme launches in Mayo

PHOTO CAPTION: Kevin Kelly, Mayo County Council Chief Executive, Lorna Dennehy, Community Climate Action Officer, Cllr Michael Loftus, Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Ann Moore, Head of Environment, Climate Change & Agriculture, Cllr Martin McLoughlin, Cathaoirleach of Environment, Climate Action and Agriculture SPC, Laura Dixon, Climate Action Co-Ordinator & John Condon, Director of Services at Mayo County Council

MAYO County Council has launched a programme aimed at supporting and empowering communities to shape and build low carbon, sustainable communities to contribute to national climate and energy targets.

Under the Community Climate Action Programme, projects are eligible for 100 percent funding, up to a maximum of €100,000.

Applications can be submitted from Friday December 1 and will remain open until Friday, February 23 at 4pm. The funding is for capital investment in small, medium, and large-scale community climate action projects under five themes: Community Energy, Travel, Food and Waste, Shopping and recycling and Local Climate and Environmental Action.

From a total fund of €24 million, Mayo County Council has been allocated a total of €609,000 for community /not-for-profit groups within the county, who are interested in developing projects and initiatives which relate to the challenge of addressing climate change.

In addition, a total of €3 million is available to support cross-border and all-island community climate action partnerships between community organisations in County Mayo and in Northern Ireland under the Shared Island Community Climate Action.

Cathaoirleach of Mayo County Council, Councillor Michael Loftus welcomed the launch of the Community Climate Action Programme.

"Community action is at the heart of how we make Mayo a more sustainable and liveable county. From the Mayo County Council Climate Action Plan engagement, we know that cost is the biggest barrier to Climate Action for community groups," said Cllr Loftus.

Community Climate Action Officer, Lorna Dennehy added: “This funding will support community groups to provide leadership within their communities in addressing climate related challenges at a local level. From my work with community groups in Mayo, I know they are ambitious and have great ideas for Climate Action. I’m excited that this fund will help enable the implementation of these ideas and I’m delighted to be on hand to assist communities with the process.”

An online information session will be held on Thursday December 14 at 7pm. To register for this session or for more information on the Community Climate Action Programme, email the Community Climate Action Officer, Lorna Dennehy, at climateaction@mayococo.ie or visit https://www.mayo.ie/environment/climate-action. Additional in-person information sessions will take place in early January 2024.

Applications for the Community Climate Action Programme can be made by completing the online application form on https://consult.mayo.ie/.