Climate Change

Council Declares a ‘Climate Emergency’ 

On Monday 7 October 2019 a Notice of Motion was brought to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council to declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ and directed management to effect dramatic short-term changes in every area under its control.

Furthermore, the motion also required Council to follow best practice from across Europe to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change and to convene a symposium to assist and develop in an action plan to mitigate the impacts of Climate Change.

It was agreed that the development of the Council’s Local Climate Adaptation Plan would address the NOM in that all areas of council operations would be reviewed and their impact on climate considered and adaptation methods identified.  

Furthermore, it was agreed that Officers would commence the organisation of a Climate Symposium for Spring 2020.    

What is Climate Change?

Climate change is arguably the most serious threat we face today to our way of life. Climate change is the long-term shift in average weather patterns across the world. Since the mid-1800s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air mainly through burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. This causes global temperatures to rise, resulting in long-term changes. 

Burning fossil fuels produces energy, but also releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous monoxide into the air. Over time, large quantities of these gases have built up in the atmosphere. For example, the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere rose by 40% during the 20th and 21st century and is now over 400ppm (parts per million). 

Once in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide form a 'blanket' around the planet. This blanket traps the heat from the sun and causes the earth to heat up. In their most recent report, the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) states that human activity is unequivocally the cause of climate change.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the average temperature of the planet has risen by around 1°C. This is a rapid change in terms of our global climate system.

As of 2018, the 20 warmest years on record globally have been in the past 22 years. The Met Office’s State of the UK Climate report for 2021 shows the ten hottest years in the UK since 1884 have all happened since 2002.

If high emissions continue it is expected that the UK will experience:

• Warmer and wetter winters
• Hotter and drier summers
• More frequent and intense weather extremes
• These changes could have a big impact on how we live our lives.

Local Climate Adaptation Plan

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, along with other local authorities, are working with Climate NI to develop a Local Climate Adaptation Plan. This process is led by a Cross-Departmental Officer Working Group who are reviewing all our operations and considering the threats of climate change including increased rainfall and extreme flooding, increased storminess, extremes of heat and cold, sea level rises and coastal erosion.  

The plan will include positive action to reduce our impacts on climate change (Mitigation) and increase our resilience to deal with its impacts (Adaptation).  

For more information on Climate Adaptation visit: https://www.climatenorthernireland.org.uk/

COP28

COP28 UAE brings the world together at a critical moment for global transformative climate action. To deliver on its ambitious agenda, COP28 will be inclusive, transparent, pragmatic, and results-oriented.

In the three decades since the Rio Summit and the launch of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP) has convened member countries every year to determine ambition and responsibilities, and identify and assess climate measures. The 21st session of the COP (COP21) led to the Paris Agreement, which mobilized global collective action to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels by 2100, and to act to adapt to the already existing effects of climate change.

For more information on COP28 please visit: https://www.cop28.com/en/about-cop28

COP26

COP26 stands for ‘Conference of the Parties’ which was held for the 26th time in Glasgow, with the UK as President, from 31 October to 12 November 2021. The event was attended by the countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which came into force in 1994. Since the signing of the treaty Climate Change has gone from being a fringe issue to a global priority.

The COP26 summit brought world leaders together to commit to urgent global climate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. But each of us has a part to play. That’s why, in the run up to the summit, COP26 organisers will be working closely with businesses, civil society groups, schools and people across the UK as part of our conversation on tackling climate change.

So why not get involved and take your own small steps towards reducing climate change? Together we can make a BIG difference. 

For further information please visit: https://ukcop26.org/

Climate Change Conference

Speakers at the NMD ‘Our Climate - Our Challenge’ Conference at Killeavy Castle

A Climate Change Symposium ‘Our Climate – Our Challenge’ was held on 12 March 2020 at Killeavy Castle. This high-profile event brought together a range of internationally renowned expert speakers as well as Councils and Community Organisations from across the UK and Ireland who have demonstrated best practice in dealing with climate change and who have achieved practical solutions and carbon reductions on the ground.

Speakers and topics included: 

• Jan Gustav Strandenaes, Senior Advisor to UN on Sustainable Development Policy 
• Professor John Barry, Co-Chair of Belfast Climate Commission 
• Stephen Jones, Climate NI
• Tim Walker ARC21 – The Circular Economy

Case Studies included:

• The Rediscovery Centre, The National Centre for the Circular Economy Dublin Link 
• Cloughjordan Eco Village/Resilient Communities Link 
• Sustainable Transport - Sustainable Fleet - Dundee City Council Link
• Community Energy - West Suffolk County Council Link

Approximately 100 people attended the event including our Council Officers, members of Senior Management Team and Councillor’s.  The conference was an excellent opportunity to hear from expert speakers on work that has led to a positive impact on climate change.  The council will consider these projects when developing our own Local Climate Adaptation Plan.  

Climate Action

To date we have delivered a number of climate related projects which will be the building blocks of our Adaptation Plan.  Examples are highlighted below:

Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

INTERREG FASTER Project - Potential EV Charge Point Locations
The Council are an Associate Partner in the INTERREG Funded FASTER [Facilitating a Sustainable Transition to EVs in the Region] Project.  
The FASTER project is funded through the EU’s INTERREG VA programme and will see the installation of 73 electric rapid charging points at areas of defined need across the 3 partner regions of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Scotland.

Climate Change Park

Islands Park in Newcastle is being developed as a ‘Climate Change Park’ – transformation of a local park to showcase interventions to mitigate and adapt to Climate Change. The project will see better management of habitats including wildflower meadows, community orchards, managed wetlands, ‘wilding’ areas, tree planting, as well as interpretation panels explaining the threats of climate change on the area including rising sea levels, flash flooding and tidal flooding and inspiring people to take action.  

Active Travel

The Council has worked with Sustrans to develop a draft Active Travel Masterplan. The Plan will recommend sustainable travel solutions across the district over the next 10 years including developing cycle paths and walking infrastructure, greenways, safer routes for cycling and walking in towns and rural areas for schools, work and leisure purposes. Council has also carried out pilot projects promoting cycling in schools, bike maintenance and safety workshops for the community and the PHA led ‘Leading the Way’ programme to encourage employees to cycle. For further information please visit: https://www.newrymournedown.org/active-travel

Sustainable Food Places

The Council has secured funding and is delivering the Sustainable Food Places programme which aims to develop a more sustainable approach to food in the district. The project covers issues such as food poverty, obesity, healthy eating, community growing, sustainable food farming, environmental impacts of food including on climate change, sustainable food businesses and food tourism. A multi-agency partnership has been established which will work together on tackling issues and developing an action plan to make our district a ‘Sustainable Food Place’. 

Single Use Plastics Strategy

The Council has published a Policy and Action Plan to phase out Single Use Plastics within the Council and to exert influence on external businesses, other agencies, and the wider community. This has already led to the reduction in the use of single use plastic items such as plastic forks knives, spoons or plates being used by Council. 

Council has purchased 15 water stations which are being installed in publicly accessible Council buildings to encourage the public to refill their reusable bottles and we also plan to deliver a pilot of external water fountains at 3 locations (Rostrevor, Newcastle, Warrenpoint) within the next year.

Refillution Campaign

The Council is taking part in the NI Water Refillution Campaign and is currently delivering reusable water bottles to businesses across the district who have signed up to the programme. 

Protecting our Peatlands and Other Habitats

The Council is Lead Partner for the CANN (Collaborative Action for the Natura Network) Project a €9 million EU INTERREG VA funded project covering Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This programme is protecting and restoring our protected habitats including peatlands. Peatlands are important sites for wildlife and rare species but are also recognised as important ‘carbon sinks.’ 
This natural ‘Carbon Capture’ process will play an important role in managing climate change and protecting our biodiversity.  
For further information please visit: https://thecannproject.org/

Biodiversity

The Council’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan identifies the priority habitats and species within our District and highlights actions to enhance and protect habitats and wildlife across the district. An example is the Red Kite programme in partnership with RSPB which has reintroduced and protected Red Kites, an important and threatened species of bird. Re-wilding of some areas has taken place recently as well as wildflower planting and management of council owned sites for biodiversity. 

For further information please visit: https://www.newrymournedown.org/biodiversity
 

Community Growing and Sustainable Food

The Council has developed a Community Growing Network bringing together local community growing groups which is being coordinated by Social Farms and Gardens. The Network has held several workshops and encourages community groups to share best practice and network to develop their own local community growing groups – which could be a vegetable garden or farm garden or allotments for local people.  Through this network funding has been made available to several local groups to distribute Home Growing Kits (seeds, compost, pots and plants) –good examples include the Castlewellan Dolmens Climate Action Network and the Cabbage Patchers in Warrenpoint.  

Contact Us

E: besustainable@nmandd.org
T: 0330 137 4024