Galway City should set an example and aim to become carbon neutral by 2025 councillor Alan Cheevers has said.
There are multiple steps the city council could take to cut its carbon emissions, councillor cheevers said, including adopting renewable energy measures within the city infrastructure.
Solar panels should be installed on city hall to set an example on renewable energy, he said, also suggesting the installation of a “community lead” hydro-electric generator on city waterways.
The councillor made his comments following the publication of the alarming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
The IPCC report painted a dire picture of rising global temperatures, among many other disastrous changes to our climate occurring, and pulled no punches in stating that humans are indisputable responsible for all the damage that it happening.
Crucially it also said that time is almost out to limit warming to 1.5 degrees, which requires immediate, drastic cuts in emissions.
It also warned that parts of the climate, such as ocean levels, will continue to be altered for a long time to come as a consequence of the damage we have already done, regardless of any other steps taken.
“The changes in our climate are very real and are changing almost every aspect of Irish life,” Alan Cheevers said.
“If we don’t make proactive changes this may damage Galway and our climate for generations to come.”
“I urge the council to move to electric or bio fuel vehicles while also calling for an annual break down of carbon savings to be published by the City Council each year.”
He added that the city council should look for funding from the central government to adopt these climate measures in a bid to become carbon neutral.
