Irish government commits €35m to local climate action

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Cork (above) is one of the three Irish cities in the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, alongside Dublin and Galway

At a glance

Who: Irish Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment; EU Just Transition Fund.

What: The Irish government has pledged €35m to further support local authorities as they continue to drive forward climate action in their communities. Minister for climate, energy and the environment Darragh O’Brien has agreed a new Climate Action Charter to be signed with 31 local authorities.

Why: To support the key role of local authorities play in transitioning to a climate-neutral economy.

Where: The strategy runs from 2026-2050.

The Irish government has pledged €35m to further support local authorities as they continue to drive forward climate action in their communities.

Minister for climate, energy and the environment Darragh O’Brien has agreed a new Climate Action Charter to be signed with 31 local authorities.

Climate neutral economy

According to O’Brien, this funding underpins the continued commitment of government to local climate action and recognises the key role of local authorities in supporting communities as Ireland transitions to a climate neutral economy.

As part of the European Union’s Just Transition Fund (EU JTF) programme, which is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the EU, €30m is being provided to local authorities in the Midlands EU Just Transition Territory to support local climate action.

The new scheme, Supporting a Sustainable Transition through Climate Action for a Resilient Territory (Start), will support local authority-led Climate Action Plan infrastructure projects and feasibility studies that align with the EU JTF programme.

“With this vital boost of investment in the region from government and European Union funding sources, we can empower local decisive climate action, fostering greener and more resilient communities”

The types of projects that local authorities can submit for consideration under this closed call include but are not limited to:

Renewable energy solutions, enhancing community engagement, promoting sustainability
Enhancing energy efficiency of public and community buildings
Active travel and sustainable transport
Transforming former landfill sites into tourism/recreational spaces, developing community/heritage spaces, enhancing public amenities.

The three Irish cities in the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission – Cork, Dublin and Galway – will be able to access funding of €2m next year. This will help the cities to deliver projects which move them to becoming climate neutral by 2030
A new fund of €1.5m will be set up to assist local authorities with their decarbonising zones (DZs). DZs are spatial areas which have been selected by local authorities as the focus for climate mitigation, adaptation and biodiversity projects
There is a new €2.5m European Regional Development Fund scheme for local authorities in the northern and western region. It offers funding for local projects in decarbonising zones on adaptation or the protection of biodiversity and green infrastructure. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is committing €1m in funding
Climate Action Regional Offices (Caros) will receive €2.4m in 2026 – an increase of €400,000. The offices support local authorities to deliver climate action, helping them develop local climate plans and sharing best practice across the regions.

These announcements follow a funding commitment at the end of 2025 of €26.9m to fund community climate action projects and a community climate action officer in each local authority to 2027.

“Emra is looking forward to launching the Start scheme which marks a transformative moment for the wider Midlands region,” said Clare Bannon, acting director for Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (Emra).

“With this vital boost of investment in the region from government and European Union funding sources, we can empower local decisive climate action, fostering greener and more resilient communities that support the unique character and history of the region.”

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