Date: 10 Dec 2021
Partnership established between the GAA and the CCMA
In 2020, a partnership was established between the GAA and the CCMA, to support and advance the sustainability and climate action agenda, through the GAA network at national, regional, county and local levels. This partnership is initially focused on the development of a Green Club programme, to be rolled out across the island of Ireland, in collaboration with the LGFA, Camogie Association, clubs and local authorities.
In addition to local authorities in the 26 counties, the programme includes collaboration with Derry City & Strabane District Council, Sustainable NI, Ulster GAA and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, in the planning and administration of the Green Club pilot in the 6 counties, to include a cross-border project that will be consistent with the objectives and approach of the multi-agency North West Climate Action Plan.
A Green Club Working Group has been established, including representatives from the GAA, LGFA, Camogie Association and club delegates, with representation on behalf of the local authority sector by the CARO. Under Phase 1, 45 clubs (from 220 club respondents) and 2 regional centres have been recruited to the pilot programme, to explore a range of sustainability projects designed to enrich their physical and social environments.
The working group have developed 5 thematic areas under which the pilot clubs will undertake projects and have engaged a number of expert partners to advise on the development of toolkits and resources, which will be made available to all Gaelic games clubs and facilities. A dedicated portal for pilot clubs has also been created on the GAA’s website. The expert partners for the 5 thematic areas are:
- Energy – Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)
- Water – Irish Water and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO)
- Waste – Regional Waste Management Offices (RWMOs)
- Biodiversity – National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC)
- Travel & Transport – the National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Road Safety Authority (RSA)
A sub-group has been set up for each thematic area, including a CARO representative, a Gaelic games representative, an expert partner and club representatives from both pilot and mentor clubs. The sub-groups are working on the development of toolkits for each thematic area using the principles of education and guidance through a club-led approach. Initial online workshops have been held with participating pilot clubs and some resources have been developed, however, given the impact of Covid-19, it was decided that the pilot programme would be extended until June 2022 to permit further development.
In addition to these thematic sub-groups, an Education sub-group has been established, to provide linkage between the emerging Green Club Programme and the GAA’s established youth education and leadership programmes, in particular the Future Leader’s Transition Year Programme. The Education sub-group is cross-cutting with contributions from each of the 5 thematic areas to support content development as the project evolves. The programme is being funded through DECC and the National SDG implementation plan.
For further information see https://www.gaa.ie/my-gaa/community-and-health/green-clubs-sustainability/