From Left to Right: James Coyne, Westside Resource Centre, Professor Francis Fahy, Ryan Institute, Mayor Mike Cubbard, Professor Jamie Goggins, University of Galway, Lúgh ó Branáin, Energy Co-ops Ireland.
Web Tool Launched in Galway
Event was launched by the 71st Mayor of Galway, Councillor Mike Cubbard at the Galmont Hotel Galway, Monday 8 December 2025
A major new national resource for community climate action, ClimateConnected.ie, was officially launched yesterday in Galway, marking a significant step forward in empowering local groups, households and organisations to take practical, measurable climate action.
The project has found that average Irish adults CO2 footprint is 11,026 tonnes of CO2 eq nearly five times what is sustainable globally.
Developed to support communities across Ireland in understanding and reducing their carbon footprint, ClimateConnected.ie provides an accessible, user-friendly web tool that guides people through their home energy use, transport habits, shopping patterns, diet and waste management—helping users identify their biggest emission sources and explore realistic pathways to reduce them, both as individuals and as part of community action.
Monday’s launch event brought together specialist experts, community leaders, and local sustainability practitioners to discuss both the current state and the future direction of community-driven climate action in Ireland. Attendees included representatives from community energy co-operatives, environmental NGOs, local authorities, and grassroots groups involved in climate adaptation, biodiversity projects and circular-economy initiatives.
Speaking before the launch, Professor Jamie Goggins (University of Galway and lead project partner) highlights the importance for Communities to come together and be able to form local Climate Action groups in partnership with their Councils and Climate Action offices. He also speaks of the need to equip communities with practical, evidence-based tools:
“Ireland’s climate targets will only be achieved if communities feel supported, informed and connected. ClimateConnected.ie is designed to make climate action real and tangible—showing people exactly where they can make the biggest difference, and linking them to programmes and supports across the country.”
Speakers at the event presented the latest national data and research on community sustainability, while community representatives shared stories from local climate projects taking place in towns and villages nationwide. Themes included community energy generation, sustainable mobility, local food networks, retrofitting programmes, climate education, and tools for tracking real-world emission reductions.
The ClimateConnected.ie team emphasised that the platform is not only a calculator, but a hub for collaboration—offering resources, guidance, and links to national and regional supports. The goal is to strengthen Ireland’s growing network of climate-active communities and ensure that every local group, no matter its size or starting point, has access to clear, practical information.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Jeanne Moore of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) said:
“Climate Connected is a really excellent example of the kinds of collaborative wide-ranging climate action, activities and projects that are going on at the local level and that really supports the work that we have been doing at NESC on the energy transition, where we see community-led action as a key enabler and lever for transformative change”.
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