Derry and Strabane Climate Commission

Launch of the Derry and Strabane Climate and Sustainability Commission (image: SustainableNI)

Designed to bring together those wanting to take action on climate impacts, the Commission was supported through the UKRI Fast Followers programme and championed by Derry and Strabane City Council. Launched in 2024 it is an exciting example of place-based multi-level working, with more than 25 organisations, from business, the voluntary sector, public utilities, local universities, education, government department officers and local community representatives all coming together. It offers a forum where local people can talk directly to government officers, businesses to university staff and allowing each to understand a range of different perspectives and climate impacts.

Working alongside Andy Boyle of YCS and the Derry and Strabane council team we interviewed departmental officers and mapped the responsibilities of devolved and local government. This helped steer the governance structure for the Commission and led to our main output from the project - an Action and Investment Plan. This takes a whole systems, theory of change approach - with sectoral high level plans looking not only at decarbonisation actions but also adaptation and Just Transition issues. Working with the best local science and projections available, including CCC assessments we considered local climate risks, allocated emissions at a district level, considered resilience issues and the co-benefits that could be achieved. To help visualise a whole system review process we created the 'Lamp post Test'. Derived from work by UNEP in 2018, we use the visual of a multi-purpose lamp post to build a checklist the requires a project team to build in multiple climate and social benefits.

The Commission is building a roadmap for the decarbonisation and adaptation of local homes. A working group has been brought together which brings expertise from across Northern Ireland and they are planning the next collective actions.

To find out more about the approach taken to sectoral plans, roadmaps and the 'Lamp post' please download the:

Derry and Stabane SCC - Action and Investment Plan 2025.

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