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Associate Professor Karen Keaveney (School of Agriculture and Food Science), has been appointed Chair of Ireland’s National Decarbonisation Zone Strategy Group. Established by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, this interdepartmental group plays a central role in advancing Ireland's ambitious decarbonisation goals across all 31 local authorities. It builds upon Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LA CAPs) which identified a decarbonising zone and developed a ‘register of opportunities’ consisting of a portfolio and pipeline of interventions, projects and actions that include mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity measures to deliver energy and emission reductions targets.

The National Decarbonisation Zone Strategy Group comprises expertise spanning national bodies and local government including the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly, County and City Management Association, the Local Government Management Agency, the Office of the Planning Regulator and Climate Action Regional Offices to assist the implementation of decarbonising zones.

Karen has been appointed Chair of the National Decarbonisation Zone Strategy Group by DECC and SEAI which has the objective to ensure national level, cross-sectoral support for the implementation of the decarbonisation zone policy initiative. The Strategy Group’s focus is to streamline support and resources for decarbonisation zone projects which include low-carbon town projects and initiatives eligible for funding under the Climate Action Fund. The first meeting was held in September 2024.

Karen’s appointment comes as part of Ireland’s ongoing efforts to meet national climate targets through localised action. Action 165 of the Government’s 2019 Climate Action Plan required local authorities to identify areas for decarbonising zones (DZ), a mandate strengthened by the 2021 directive from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Each local authority has now identified a decarbonising zone where specific climate mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity initiatives will contribute toward the 51% national target reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Decarbonising zones may also serve as innovation hubs for these efforts, supporting impactful projects and demonstrator initiatives that could be expanded nationally.

For more information, visit the Climate Action Regional Office website.