Council continue to champion climate change fightback

​Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has reiterated its commitment to tackling climate change by adopting a multi-agency, cross-governmental approach to the issue.

Elected members were briefed about a major Climate Change Conference, which will hear from some of the world’s most noted experts on sustainability, taking place this week.

The event, which will allow councils and communities from across the UK and Ireland to share best practice, is being hosted by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Among the keynote speakers are Jan Gustav Strandenaes, Senior Advisor to the UN on Sustainable Development Policy, and Professor John Barry from Queen’s University in Belfast.

Council recently worked with the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) on its Draft Response to DAERA’s Discussion Paper into a future Environment Strategy.

An All-Party Working Group on Climate Change, meanwhile, is due to meet this month to explore how Council can mitigate the climate change crisis and protect its citizens from the existing and future effects of climate breakdown.

In December 2019, Council launched the MEA4Trees initiative in partnership with the Woodland Trust, and committed to planting 58,000 native trees, which equates to one for every household in the borough, over the next five years.

Council’s Our Environment Delivery Group, meanwhile, continue to lead the way through initiatives including the Eco Community Programme, which promotes sustainable projects and behaviour at community level, and the Environmental Champion programme, among those proving successful.