About Us

ACT Waterford

Who We Are

ACT Waterford is a project designed to encourage action on climate change in Waterford. ACT Waterford is an interdisciplinary project which brings together Waterford City and County Council (WCCC) and South East Technological University (SETU) in an exciting project funded by Creative Ireland Climate Action fund.

Act Waterford logo
5 communities | 5 projects

About the Project

Waterford City and County Council have teamed up with Calmast, South East Technological University, to promote climate action in a project supported by Creative Ireland under the Creative Climate Action fund. Local communities are the focus of this project and communities will work with creative professionals to explore how individuals and communities can take meaningful action in response to climate change.

Waterford City and County Council has announced ambitious plans for decarbonising Waterford and action is needed from industry, business and government. However, individuals also must play a part. Many people are confused or overwhelmed by information on climate change.

In ACT Waterford, five communities will look at a key theme of climate action: transport, domestic energy use, greening the city, rural conservation and consumption. Experts – scientists, engineers and other professions from SETU and the Council – will help the communities understand the issues and actions. The communities will work with creatives to explore solutions and communicate the message to a wider audience across Waterford.

The project is managed by Calmast, South East Technological University, on behalf of Waterford City and County Council

STEM Engagement Centre

Calmast

Established in 2002, Calmast is the STEM Engagement Centre based at Waterford Institute of Technology serving the South East of Ireland. 

calmast logo

Calmast promotes engagement with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) with an emphasis on creativity, imagination and problem-solving skills. Calmast brings together regional actors: industry, higher education, research, governmental bodies, local authorities, non-governmental bodies, schools and communities. Sustainability is a central ethos to all Calmast activity. In addition to this fundamental philosophy, a number of dedicated programmes focusing on Sustainability and Climate Action have been developed by the centre. 

creative ireland climate action

Waterford City & County Council

Waterford is taking the lead in Ireland: aiming to become the first carbon neutral city in Ireland. The ambition is to be decarbonised by 2040, making Waterford a more attractive place to live, work and visit.

WCCCC LOGO

This plan has ambitious targets and sets out to reduce carbon emissions by 7% per annum. Announcing the plan, CEO of Waterford City and County Council, Michael Walsh, said “It’s phenomenally ambitious but we genuinely believe we can get there. We want to be ambitious, we want to be a leading micro-city, is the reality of it, and we believe that that’s where that ambition should take us.”

He said that Waterford generates about 400,000 tonnes of carbon on an annual basis and reducing that to zero, effectively, by 2040 means “transitioning how we live” and will involve all citizens and sectors of society.