European countries are committed to decarbonisation, with targets to be met over the coming decades. Challenges remain in both understanding the scale of this enormous task and designing and implementing holistic approaches to it.

In Ireland, the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 creates a legally binding framework to achieve the National Climate Objective. Section 16 requires each local authority to prepare a Local Authority Climate Action Plan (LA CAP) and select a DZ. Statutory guidelines to support local authorities in drawing up their LA CAPs were issued in March 2023 by then Minister of the Environment, Climate and Communications and an annex was prepared to provide guidance specifically on the DZs. By the end of the first quarter of 2024, all 31 LA CAPs were adopted with a statutory remit for five years. However, there has been limited progress in delivering actions. 

Local authorities can face a number of challenges in delivering their DZs. This may include: a lack of dedicated/eligible funding and resources to both deliver climate actions and manage projects within the DZs; a need for a greater level of community engagement and support from local residents, businesses etc.; a perceived lack of awareness and support from national government; a limited understanding of the purpose of the DZs by local, regional and national authorities, as well as the general public; and the role of LAs as champions and the conveners of the DZs in many cases rather than taking direct action in many sectoral areas due to a limited remit.

In terms of development potential, a range of opportunities exist for LAs:

• Offering small local areas the opportunity to pilot place-based, locally informed, low-carbon projects;
• Working with communities to co-design projects and gain support and engagement;
• Encompassing the co-benefits of decarbonising, such as health, wellbeing, quality of life;
• Fulcrum to engaging national departments and agencies; and
• Marketing and promotional opportunity. 

A detailed assessment of the DZs is lacking and is required to improve the understanding of these areas and influence future policy and resourcing. That is why this ESPON targeted analysis has the potential to be a key influencer of DCEE policy on DZs and by extension may impact policy in other government departments and stakeholder groupings. The place-based analytical approach of this project will strengthen the DZ initiative by providing evidence and recommendations. It will raise the profile of DZs and assist all stakeholders in delivering actions by identifying good practices and learning from other European countries.

Policy need 

ITADZ shall consider the national challenge of delivering DZs through a regional lens by:

• Assessing the existing 41 DZs, their implementation and the impact of their designation on local areas.
• Reviewing the government structures and local authorities to deliver/lead on DZ implementation.
• Comparing Ireland’s DZ initiative with similar European initiatives, including their design, delivery, resourcing and monitoring.

The main outputs of the service shall be:

• Overview and analysis of existing climate policies and spatial planning policies in the Republic of Ireland.
• A territorial typology of the local DZs in the Republic of Ireland, types of actions taken and a methodology to track progress, including case studies and spotlighting innovative approaches and projects.
• Identification of local climate actions that have worked, have scale and impact and that could be replicated.
• Understanding of the impact of the DZ policy initiative, as a locally-led initiative having national effect, and barriers. 
• Overview of funding streams which have been/can be leveraged within the DZs whether DZ specific or using other, existing funding sources
• A review of national and sub-national government structures and the position of local authorities to lead on DZ implementation.
• Overview of data available/captured to monitor DZ implementation progress by local authorities, recommendations for additional data, and comparison with similar initiatives in other European countries.
• Understanding of the nature, degree and model of community involvement in DZ development and implementation, including public awareness and social acceptance, and examples of best practice around this.
• Exemplars of successful place-based decarbonisation models and spatial planning policies integrating DZs, including consideration of cross-border approaches.
• A workshop to share learnings and build good practice, to be scheduled in principle under the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in the second semester of 2026.

More information

Contractor: Trinomics (NL)

Joint Partners: Technical University of the Shannon (IE), O’Keeffe Social Research CLG (IE) 

Contact: 

Michaela Gensheimer (Research and Policy Manager)
Lorenzo Genna ( Public Procurement Assistant Manager)