14 DAY TRIAL // Local communities and non-profit environmental organizations in Ireland can now apply to receive both money and other types of support in order to implement projects meant to address climate change by better managing resources such as water, air and biodiversity.
According to Phil Hogan, Ireland's current environment minister, the Local Agenda 21 Partnership Fund for 2012 makes €337,000 ($424,000) available for local groups willing to promote sustainable development.
Seeing how local authorities also decided to chip in and provide similar additional funding, a total of €674,000 ($848,000) could eventually go into the development of renewable energy sources, proper waste management and raising awareness with respect to environmental issues.
It is expected that local businesses and other organizations will also lend a helping hand and help raise more funds, especially given the fact that one other major drive for this project is that of helping citizens have a better communication with company and administration representatives in their region.
Apparently, the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund program was first implemented back in 1997, and in 2011 alone 517 environmental projects came into being using the money provided by it.
Major achievements include developing community gardens, implementing environmental education programs and taking steps towards reducing waste.
According to Offaly Tatler, Phil Hogan commented on this particular Environment Partnership Plan as follows: “I am delighted to announce the Local Agenda 21 Partnership Fund for 2012. This €337,000 Fund provides valuable assistance to local groups.
“It supports, at the grass roots level, efforts to improve the environment, to make our communities more sustainable and to increase general awareness of environmental issues.”
Whomever wishes to benefit from these funds must submit an application to the local by the 11th of July at the latest.
However, you should now that applicants who already have a working budget might be preferred to those who need all of their funding to come from other sources.