Press release
National Consultation on Climate Conversations launches
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Published on
Last updated on
The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications today launched Climate Conversations 2024 which invites people and communities from across the country to have their say on how we can achieve a transition to a competitive, low carbon economy and society by 2050 in a way that is fair and that works best for people and the planet.
Importantly, Climate Conversation 2024 will feed into, and shape, the next iteration of the Climate Action Plan, which will mark a crucial mid-way point in Ireland’s shift to halve our emissions by 2030.
Commenting on the launch of Climate Conversations 2024, Minister Ryan said:
"One of the key parts of Ireland’s move to a lower-carbon economy and society is how we communicate and engage with one another. If we are to get climate action right, the first thing we have to do is listen to people, hear from them about their lives and their communities, the climate actions they are taking already, and the challenges and concerns they might have about the changes that are being proposed to help ensure that Ireland is ready for the opportunities of a new low-carbon future.
"We set up the National Dialogue on Climate Action to allow as many people as possible to have their say and be part of the national conversation on climate that we have to have. Some 13,000 people have done it in the past three years and we hope that even more people will join the conversation to make it bigger and better this year."
Climate Conversations includes a large-scale online survey as well as in-person consultation events where people can have their say on what climate action means to them personally, as well as on a local and national level. Last year we found that, overall, people:
These findings have directly informed Climate Action Plan 2024.
Insights from the Climate Conversations have also guided the Government’s Climate Actions Work campaign – a new, first of its kind national engagement and communications campaign on climate which has been operating at a grass roots level since its launch in early April and which will be amplified further from June on with a creative multi-media advertisement campaign.
Climate Actions Work focuses on hearing from, and working with, local communities – talking to people where they are at about climate change and the climate actions that will work for them best. Over the coming year, it will work with groups up and down the country to shine a light on the huge amount of climate action that is already taking place, to provide support and resources to groups that need it, and to encourage more people to get involved in talking about, thinking about and initiating climate actions.
Minister Ryan said:
"This year we are building on what we learned last year; we are making sure that we engage with people where they are at, in their own towns, villages or workplaces, for example.
"There is a huge task ahead of us, to bridge the gap between where we are now and where we need to get to by 2030 and beyond. But we will not make this transition if we don’t bring people with us. We will not make this transition if it is not fair and we will not make this transition if people do not see and understand that climate action can improve their quality of life. That’s why we are hitting the road this year, to talk, to listen, to co-create, to work together."
To take part and have your say, individuals and communities can visit the Climate Conversations portal and share views on our collective goals, what has been achieved, and what more could be done to support communities on climate action.
ENDS
The National Dialogue on Climate Action (NDCA), through its Climate Conversations programme, is identifying barriers to local climate action, and developing tools to evaluate, measure and support climate engagement activities.
Climate Conversation 2024 is being conducted in line with strict data protection rules, and for this reason is open only to those over 16. Under 16s will be consulted through focus groups and representatives from the National Youth Assembly on Climate.
To empower everyone in society to help us co-design the annual Climate Action Plan the Government has established the NDCA.
The NDCA has four main objectives:
The NDCA is delivered through an annual programme of events centred around our Climate Conversations.
Climate Conversations 2023 ran for eight weeks from June to September. More than 4,000 people took part in the online survey. We also held 12 workshops with groups who are vulnerable to the transition to carbon neutrality, or who are not yet taking part in the climate debate. We did 18 in-depth interviews with people across society who have taken on new and effective climate action projects.
On 26 October 2023, the NDCA (National Dialogue on Climate Action) team held a webinar where the initial results of this year’s Climate Conversations were presented by Ipsos. The findings suggest that:
This year, we are building on what we learned and we are expanding our programme. We are partnering with community groups and representative bodies to reach a broad cross section of Irish society, including those who may be particularly affected by our transition to carbon neutrality. Our aim is to make the Climate Action Plan accessible to all through the Climate Conversations and we urge everyone to have their say; it’s our future!