In 2021 Tullamore was designated as the Decarbonising Zone for Offaly, and as the county town, Tullamore DZ has the potential to act as a testbed of actions in various areas such as transport, built environment, energy, waste management, air quality, biodiversity, community activation and climate adaptation.
In Offaly County Council we are delighted to embrace the Decarbonising Zone concept and see huge benefits in using the DZ as a testbed for innovative projects and new technologies in implementing Climate Action.
Our recently adopted Local Authority Climate Action Plan highlighted an extensive ‘Register of Opportunities’ within the Tullamore DZ, and now, working with DECC, CARO and our many other local stakeholders, we aim to implement a number initiatives with a view to scaling these up and rolling them out across the county.
Meaningful engagement with community groups, businesses, residents, sports clubs and other state agencies will be key to the success of our DZ. Each proposed DZ project will require a unique stakeholder mapping and engagement process in order to develop an implementation plan. A community driven approach to implementation is required, and Offaly County Council Climate Action Team looks forward to engaging with many differing groups and individuals across the DZ on the journey towards project delivery.
Already, much has been achieved so much within the DZ. Successful engagement with various community and sports groups through our Community Climate Action Fund, providing 100% funding from DECC for local climate action projects within the DZ.
Offaly County Council have constructed major infrastructural adaptation projects such as the Tullamore Wetlands and Tullamore River Riparian Zone works, which provide adaption space to rising flood levels while increasing tree canopy cover and enhanced biodiversity within the DZ which will have a direct effect on health and wellbeing to the citizens of Tullamore.
Offaly County Council Climate Action have partnered with DECC and Geological Survey Ireland within the DZ on a regional and nationally significant research projects into the potential of geothermal heating.
Offaly County Council will continue to deliver our core services within the DZ with climate action to the forefront of our thoughts, by providing EV charging points and switching to EV’s and low carbons fuels in our fleet, by developing cycle strategies and implementing active travel projects, such as the new Urban Greenway through the DZ.