Submission from the Office of the Planning Regulator (Submission No 426)
Issues / Recommendations / Observations
Chief Executive’s Resp onse & Recommendation
reasonable period of time, or to include such other mechanism, as may be appropriate, to ensure the development plan will be consistent with the approach to climate action recommended in the revised Development Plan Guidelines as adopted or any other relevant guidelines.
positively responds to the impact of climate change through mitigation and adaption measures. The Scheme Sustainability Statement should is required , as a minimum, to demonstrate how the following climate change mitigation and adaptation considerations inform the proposal: ”
(iii) Update paragraph 5.11 as follows:
The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 is expected to come into force later in 2021. The Draft Bill seeks to establish a legally binding, national commitment to secure a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and to net zero by no later than 2050. It confirms an intention for the Government to prepare a new national Climate Action Plan in 2021 and for the plan to be then updated annually. One of the draft provisions within the Bill includes the requirement for Local Authorities to prepare Climate Action Plans (CAPs) for their administrative areas addressing climate mitigation and adaptation measures within 12-months of the Minister making such a request and then updating the CAPs every 5-years. The evolving statutory framework in the delivery of climate change and adaptation goals may require further variations to the Development Plan over the plan life cycle to reflect the dynamic policy context internationally and nationally.
1.8.2. Renewable Energy
The draft Plan should explore how the policy objectives could better facilitate the implementation of district heating in development areas. There is an opportunity in the draft Plan to strengthen the renewable energy policy.
Cork City Council is fully committed to addressing the issue of climate action and the vital role that renewable energy will play in meeting national climate targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2021-Securing Our Future. This includes a target of increasing the proportion of renewable electricity nationally
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