A number of local authorities have already appointed Community Climate Action Officers, who will head the drive to reduce emissions.

It comes as Environment Minister Eamon Ryan announced funding of €24 million for local authorities to support and build low-carbon communities across the country.

The Climate Action Fund was established in 2020 to provide support for projects, initiatives and research that contribute to the achievement of climate and energy targets.

Environment Minister Eamon Ryan speaking in March 2021. Picture by: Julien Behal Photography / RollingNews.ie

A further €3 million is being provided to support cross-border and all-island projects.

This will include at least one partner in Northern Ireland, and at least 50% of awarded funding will be for a project there.

Cara Augustenborg is Professor of Environmental Policy at UCD and a member of the Climate Advisory Council.

She told Breakfast Briefing this is down to what individual communities want.

"It starts with the creation of these Climate Action Officers; and four of the local authorities have already put someone in place in their area to hold that position," she said.

"[These officers] will work with communities to decide what kind of climate actions are right for their community and begin to draw down these funds to actually make those happen, and hopefully lead to driving the reduction of emissions."

'Action on the ground'

Dr Augustenborg said this is an opportunity for people to take action.

"What we've seen with things like the active transport budget is that local authorities and county councils haven't been drawing down the money," she said.

"Here we have a wonderful opportunity where finally we're seeing a national Government sending money on climate action to local authorities, and for whatever reasons it's not being availed of.

"I think what's really important now is that local authorities actually avail of this money, put these resource officers in place to help guide these decisions and implement these practices, and don't waste this opportunity to really create action on the ground.

"It starts with the idea of a climate officer, and we've started also to see biodiversity officers put in place... those Community Action Officers will help the community decide what actions work for them and start to actually put them into place".

She said what works best for each community may be different.

"In this case it might be more educational events that need to happen in one community, or it could be improvement to a local community centre - maybe it needs insulation or solar panels.

"Maybe there's a parcel of land that the local community want to rewild?

"So the actions really vary, and that's why it is important to have someone on the ground who can help communities decide what to do," she added.