Galway Bay FM Newsroom - Galway City Council has given a firm commitment to tackle climate change and biodiversity issues.
A motion from Green Party Councillor Martina O’Connor and Fianna Fáil’s Peter Keane, calling for the Council to take a bigger role in tackling environmental issues has been supported unanimously
Under the motion, Galway City Council has agreed to fully endorse the contents of the international "Leaders Pledge for Nature," signed by Ireland prior to the UN Biodiversity Summit in September 2020.
Specifically from this international declaration, the City Council has affirmed its unequivocal support and commitment to the statement in the declaration, that the earth is in a state of planetary emergency and the interdependent crisis of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation and climate change require urgent and immediate global action.
The Local Authority has committed to earnestly tackle these very important challenges under its remit through the implementation of the Irish government's revised Climate Action Plan 2021.
Meanwhile, it has further agreed to prepare a new climate action plan following the launch of the government's revised legislation, prioritise the implementation of the City Council's Climate Action Adaptation Strategy 2019 and to afford priority to the National Pollinator Plan in Galway along with the City Council's Biodiversity Plan.
Speaking at this week’s meeting, Social Democrat Councillor Owen Hanley said it was the most significant motion that had come before the council.
This sentiment was echoed by Councillor Niall McNelis who added that the climate crisis is a "ticking time bomb."
Meanwhile, the City Manager Brendan McGrath said it’s a very thorough motion, which will allow the Local Authority to use all the power it’s afforded to tackle the climate crisis.
