Roadmap to sustainable and climate-resilient Irish local authorities through EU funded projects – best practices and lessons learned

The European Union has set a target for the different Member States to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 relative to the 1990 levels. While Ireland has transposed these directives into national law and all local authorities published their individual Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LACAPs) in 2024, the path to achieving these goals is unclear. Energy agencies play a crucial role in translating high-level plans into tangible local actions. EU funded projects provide a valuable mechanism for these agencies to support implementation. This paper highlights three EU funded projects, OwnYourSECAP, IN-PLAN and Power E-COM – which aim to integrate climate action into daily operations, spatial planning and budgeting. These projects also focus on capacity building and community engagement. The paper presents best practices, key challenges, and lessons learned from implementing these initiatives in Ireland. It also explores how EU directives can be effectively transformed into local, actionable measures to meet climate targets.