Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s vital role in pioneering sustainability: A blueprint for a greener future

In the wake of mounting environmental challenges, the imperative for sustainable practices has reached critical levels. Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) is building on significant work to date and providing direction for the future.

As the public becomes increasingly aware of the fragility of our planet, the onus of driving change falls not only on individuals but also on governing bodies and local councils. With their capacity to implement policies and spearhead community initiatives, councils play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of sustainability within their jurisdictions.

NMDDC encompasses an area of 1,634km2, has a coastline of approximately 150km, and has three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Mourne, Ring of Gullion, and Strangford and Lecale.

With such a unique landscape rich in biodiversity, along with a vibrant cultural life, it will come as no surprise to hear that the Council has invested in sustainability measures for years, with a team working across a range of related areas, including sustainability, environmental education, energy management, biodiversity and sustainable foods.

In 2019, the council declared a climate emergency and took measures to effect dramatic short-term changes in every area under its control, drawing on local and international case studies to mitigate the impacts of climate change within our district.

In 2020, the council organised a Climate Symposium, bringing together a range of internationally renowned expert speakers as well as councils and community organisations from across the UK and Ireland, who had achieved practical solutions and carbon reductions.

The importance of responding to the climate emergency and taking action to deliver sustainability and environmental improvements, has also been reflected as part of a recent council restructuring, through the creation of a sustainability and environment directorate.

We are in the process of developing a number of strategies and policies to promote sustainable development and ecological preservation. These include a sustainability and climate change strategy and action plan, and a biodiversity strategy.

A local climate adaptation plan is being developed as part of the council’s Climate Action Programme, which identifies the impacts of climate change on all its operations including extreme flooding, storms, extreme heat and drought, coastal erosion and extreme cold in winter. It also informs training which council staff receive on climate change to enable them to take adaptation and mitigation actions within their sectors.

These guiding documents will build on the significant work already undertaken by the council in recent years and will provide further direction for the future.

Education and community engagement are key components of the council’s sustainable initiatives to protect and enhance this special part of Northern Ireland. Earlier in 2023, Newry, Mourne and Down’s unique landscape and geology was awarded UNESCO Global Geopark status. This significant achievement is the culmination of over a decade of work by council officers, community groups and partner organisations working together to get recognition for the area’s internationally significant geological heritage.

The status of UNESCO Global Geopark empowers local communities to form strong alliances aimed at advancing the region’s noteworthy geological and cultural legacy. It works in tandem with local landowners, businesses and communities to use the natural heritage as a tool for sustainable tourism, biodiversity improvements, geological education and sustainably managed outdoor recreation.

In addition to this highly acclaimed status, the council has taken the lead in a number of other recognised initiatives in which it has worked with local communities, such as our work with Louth Beekeepers Association to reclaim a former landfill site to improve biodiversity and help boost the population of the once endangered Irish black bee.

For this partnership project we won the Local Government Chronicle Environmental Services Award. Five hives have now been installed at Aughnagun landfill site since June 2022 with up to 50,000 bees per hive. Local schools have also got involved through an education programme and we were delighted that the first extraction of honey achieved second place in its category in the London Honey Awards, which was sold to raise money for charity or donated to local foodbanks.

By fostering a sense of collective responsibility and encouraging environmentally conscious behaviours, we aim to catalyse a grassroots movement towards sustainability. As part of a drive to reduce the use of single-use plastics and promote efficient use of water, the council has installed water fountains at a number of prominent locations across the district and introduced a single use plastics policy and strategy. This includes a wide range of actions to eliminate single use plastics from council offices and activities, such as providing council staff with reusable water bottles.

Investing in green infrastructure and technology is a crucial step in the council’s journey towards sustainability. We are working to reduce the environmental impact of new and existing buildings through energy management practices, including considering lower carbon heating solutions for new building projects and decarbonising existing buildings. We are also committed to environmental sustainability as a key underpinning principle for the design and construction of our City Deal facilities, using policy levers to integrate inclusive, sustainable growth.

Collaboration with other governing bodies, environmental organisations and local businesses is integral to the success of sustainable initiatives. By fostering partnerships and advocating for sustainable policies at regional and national levels, we can amplify our impact and contribute to the formulation of comprehensive sustainability frameworks. Recent work has continued with other councils on topics such as fleet decarbonisation and carbon offsetting, and we are one of three local authorities involved in the FASTER Project, installing high speed, public charging points for electric vehicles funded through €6.4 million from the INTERREG VA programme. Further public electric vehicle charging is also planned as part of the collaborative On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme.

Our responsibility in championing sustainability cannot be overstated. Through the implementation of robust policies, the promotion of community engagement and the investment in green infrastructure, councils can spearhead a transformative movement towards a more sustainable and environmentally conscious society. It is only through our steadfast commitment and proactive initiatives that we can hope to build a thriving, sustainable future for generations to come.

T: 0330 137 4046
E: info@nmandd.org
W: www.newrymournedown.org
X: @nmdcouncil