Climate Change

Climate change refers to a large-scale, long-term shift in the planet's weather patterns and average temperatures. Since the mid-1800s, humans have contributed to the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the air. This causes global temperatures to rise, resulting in long-term changes to the climate.

Evidence has shown that high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are the leading cause of increasing global temperatures and it is estimated that one-quarter of human-made greenhouse gas emissions come from burning fossil fuels for electricity and heat production. Once in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and sulphur dioxide form a 'blanket' around the planet which traps the heat from the sun and causes the earth to heat up.

In their most recent report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states that human activity is unequivocally the cause of climate change (IPCC 2023).  Human-induced climate change has caused widespread adverse impacts to nature and people, which goes beyond natural climate variability. Some development and adaptation efforts have reduced vulnerability, however the increase of weather and climate extremes has led to some irreversible impacts as natural and human systems are pushed beyond their ability to adapt.

Sustainability Working Group

Established in 2020, this all-party group focuses on mitigating climate change impacts and enhancing community resilience. The Waste and Sustainability team leads the development and coordination of related programs and projects. If you have a project idea that you would like to bring to the attention of the group please contact us via sustainability@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk

Tree Planting Campaign

The Council aims to plant one million native trees across the borough over the coming years to reduce carbon emissions. Community groups, businesses, schools, and individuals are encouraged to collaborate with Council participate, and get in touch if you want to be part of the planting campaign or learn more – sustainability@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk 

Biodiversity Action Plan (2023-2028)

Launched in March 2023, this plan identifies local priority habitats and species, outlining actions for their protection and improvement. It emphasises partnership with community groups, schools, businesses, and individuals to promote sustainable development. This plan is a great resource for learning more about the natural environment and opportunities for engagement.

In October 2023, Climate NI launched a new guide that they developed as a first step to help small and medium sized (SME) businesses understand the impacts of a changing climate and how to report climate-related risks. The guide aims to support businesses to better understand climate-related reporting and simplify the climate related financial disclosure reporting (TCFD) process,  so it is more accessible to a range of business sizes and sectors.

The guide and links to other relevant sources can be found by following the link: https://climatenorthernireland.org.uk/climate-ni-network/sectors/business

This website provides advice on efficiency and the environment and includes advice on how to reduce business waste, save energy and water, provides example case studies from other NI businesses, and has a dedicated section to carbon emissions and climate change.

Visit https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/efficiency-and-environment for more information.

Climate Change Action Plan

The Council has developed a comprehensive plan addressing both mitigation and adaptation measures, aiming to reduce emissions and enhance environmental sustainability. This plan involves collaboration across departments, internal and external working groups, local organisations and the community groups.

The council organises many environmental events throughout the year including compost week, litter picking and reduce and reuse events. Local community groups are encouraged to get in touch to be involved and to follow our social media channels to keep up to date with new opportunities.

Green House Gas (GHG) A greenhouse gas is any gas in the atmosphere which absorbs and re-emits heat, keeping the planet’s atmosphere warmer than it would be. Carbon emissions For simplicity we refer to all greenhouse gas emissions in this action plan as ‘carbon emissions’. However, it is good to be reminded that ‘carbon’ and ‘GHG’ are a lot more than just carbon dioxide (CO2). Other gases include methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), perfluorocarbons (PFC), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent, is a term used to describe all greenhouse gases as a standard unit. For any type or quantity of greenhouse gas, it represents the amount of CO2 that would create the same amount of global warming. CO2 is used as this is the most common greenhouse gas emitted by human activities.

Net zero carbon (also known as carbon neutral) is the point at which carbon emissions in the atmosphere are balanced with carbon removal from the atmosphere. Achieving net zero carbon means reducing carbon emissions to almost zero and then safely removing the equivalent amount of remaining emissions from the atmosphere, for example by rewilding or planting trees. Balancing the remaining amount of emissions is called offsetting. The process by which soil, trees, grasses, plants and areas of saltmarsh and wetland store carbon is known as carbon sequestration. Natural capital has an important role to play in mitigating climate change. Net zero carbon is different to “zero carbon” which requires an activity to produce no carbon.

Environmental Grants

The Council offers funding to support community-led environmental projects. These grants assist initiatives that promote sustainability, biodiversity, and climate action. Community groups are encouraged to apply for financial support to implement their projects.

Current funding opportunities

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful provide a range of courses on climate change training for different groups, including businesses. All Carbon Literacy Programmes offered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful are certified for delivery by the Carbon Literacy Project, an award-winning organisation that has delivered climate-change education across the globe.

Many of the workshops and programmes are able to be booked as a dedicated session, at a date and time that suits you, and tailored to your organisation, group, or school. To find out which workshop is the right one for you please visit https://www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org/cgi-bin/generic?instanceID=73 for more information and for details of how to book.

QUB are offering free places, funded by the Department of Economy, on a number of courses. These courses have been designed to provide additional upskilling and reskilling opportunities, focused on supporting individuals to engage in learning and improve the skills profile of the local workforce in Northern Ireland.

There are a range of Green Skills courses, which include a Business Sustainability Essentials Programme and a PgCert in Climate Change.

For more information on the courses, eligibility criteria and to apply visit https://www.qub.ac.uk/Study/skill-up-flexible-skills-fund

Educational Workshops and Events

The Council organises events to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability. These include workshops, seminars, and community gatherings aimed at educating and engaging residents.

Partnerships with Environmental Organisations

Collaborations with groups like the RSPB, KNIB, Live Here Love Here, Belfast Hills etc involve activities such as school visits and public sessions to promote biodiversity and environmental stewardship. 

Since 2015 countries around the world signed the Paris Agreement (an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - UNFCCC) with the aim of cutting carbon emissions to keep global warming below 2 °C, while pursuing efforts to keep it below 1.5 °C.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a special report advising that global temperatures could increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels as soon as 2030 and would have a catastrophic impact on life on earth.

The IPCC report found that for global warming to be limited to 1.5 °C, "Global net human-caused emissions of CO2 would need to fall by about 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, reaching net zero around 2050." In a year that saw the end of the warmest decade ever recorded, global climate protests gained momentum in 2019 calling for governments and decision makers to take more action. The UK government also became the first major global economy to set a net zero carbon target for 2050. In November 2021, the UK will be hosting and chairing the United Nations annual Climate Change Conference, COP26. COP stands for Conference of Parties and is the decision-making body of the UNFCCC. Representatives from across the world are expected to attend to both address what has and hasn’t been achieved since 2015 and to agree new tougher, plans to reach the Paris Agreement targets. The scale of the challenge is immense and urgent action is needed in the short term if we stand a chance of avoiding a 1.5 °C rise.

The recent IPCC report of 2021 declared at ‘code red for humanity’

1. Take part in many of our environmental and sustainability projects available to the public;

2. Stay connected with us via social media to hear about how we can help each other tackle the climate change crisis;

Climate Northern Ireland

This cross-sectoral partnership focuses on understanding and enabling adaptation and mitigation actions to address the climate emergency. It serves as a primary contact point within Northern Ireland for climate change issues, promoting coordinated approaches among members. 

Northern Ireland Environment Link

As a networking body for organisations interested in Northern Ireland's natural and built environment, it facilitates training, working groups on climate change policy and offers resources for community groups to engage in environmental initiatives. 

Community groups in Antrim and Newtownabbey are encouraged to participate in these initiatives, access available funding, and engage with events to contribute to the borough's climate action and sustainability goals. 

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is an independent charity dedicated to creating a cleaner, greener and more sustainable Northern Ireland by delivering on improving environmental education in every school in Northern Ireland, increasing public engagement for communities in need and raising environmental standards for the places where people spend time: where they live, work and relax.

Northern Ireland Resources Network

NIRN has a vision of a Northern Ireland where reuse and repair is integrated into everyday life. Through education, collaboration, and communication, we work across communities to normalise these activities, inspiring and empowering people to embrace a more circular lifestyle.

Sustainable NI

Sustainable NI is a non-profit organisation that is driving sustainability efforts in Northern Ireland through the provision of tailored support, expert advice, essential tools and metrics designed to empower organisations to reduce their carbon emissions and adopt more sustainable practices, paving the way towards a greener and more responsible future for all.