b'2 Mitigation in Kildare County Council2.1IntroductionBecoming a signatory also requires Kildare County As there are many synergies, it is not possible to Council to prepare a Sustainable Energy and Climate develop a Climate Action Adaptation Strategy withoutAction Plan (SECAP). This will complement thediscussing measures pertaining to climate mitigation. strategic goals and objectives of this strategy but will Section 1.6 defines mitigation as the efforts made toalso set out targets for reducing dependency on fossil reduce the severity of future climate change impactsfuels and committing to sustainability in a range of by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. areas, including:Kildare County Council has a key leadership role toReducing CO2 (and possibly other greenhouse gas) play locally in terms of climate mitigation and theemissions in the county by at least 40% by 2030,councils commitment to this role is reflected by itsnamely through improved energy efficiency and success in securing the role of Host County for thethe greater use of renewable energy source.Eastern and Midlands Climate Action Regional Office.As previously outlined, The Climate Action and LowIncreasing resilience by adapting to the impacts Carbon Development Act 2015 made provision for, of climate change, as per the requirements of this and gives statutory authority to, both the National Climate Action Adaptation Strategy. Mitigation Plan (NMP) which was published in 2017 and the National Adaptation Framework (NAF) Sharing our vision, results, experience and published in 2018. The national policy context is toknow-how with fellow local and regional authorities achieve a deep decarbonisation of the economy by thewithin the EU and beyond through direct year 2050 and the NAF has been flagged a work incooperation and peer-to-peer exchange, namely in progress reflecting the reality of where we are, the context of the Global Covenant of Mayors. nationally, in our decarbonisation transition to amore climate resilient economy. 2.4 Climate Action Plan To Tackle Climate Breakdown2.2Energy Reduction Targets The all of government Climate Action Plan 2019 - To The Government of Ireland has committed to widerTackle Climate Breakdown was published on Monday climate change goals, to achieve a 33% energy 17th June 2019. The plan sets out 183 individualefficiency improvement by all Irish public bodies byactions over 12 sectors and charts an ambitious course the year 2020, as defined by SI 426 of 2014. This towards decarbonisation.target was reinforced in 2017 through the publication of the Public Sector Energy Efficiency Strategy.The Public Sector is identified as having a significant In its latest performance report entitled Annual Reportrole in Leading by Example to not only just reduce 2018 on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance,their own emissions but to inspire climate action the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) hasacross communities and society. Local Government in credited Kildare County Council 20% energyparticular is recognised for its pivotal role insavings against its 2009 energy usage baseline. stimulating climate action at community level.The Plan speaks also to the role of the Climate Action 2.3Global Covenant of Mayors for Regional Offices (CARO) in assisting local authorities Climate and Energy in building capacity to engage effectively with climate As detailed in Chapter 1, Kildare County Councilchange.There are a range of actions that arebecame a signatory of the Global Covenant of Mayorsspecific to and/or relate to local authorities as well as for Climate and Energy on 23rd September 2019. Thisthe CAROs. will lead to enhanced cooperation and support for the council at regional, national and European levels andLocal authorities will be required to undertake anfoster recognition and visibility of Kildare Co. Councilsannual programme with measurable impactclimate and energy action commitments. particularly with actions to focus on, inter alia;1618'