Ireland’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment was published this week. This study was undertaken by the EPA in collaboration with government departments, state agencies, and other stakeholders to assess where, when and how climate risks are likely to impact Ireland over the coming decades.
The Risk Assessment identifies 115 risks from projected changes in climate conditions. Of these, 43 are deemed significant risks. The risks span all sectors of Ireland’s economy, society, and environment from energy, transport and communications to water security, public health, food production and supply and ecosystems.
The significant risks identified by the report as requiring urgent action within the next five years are:
- The risk of disruption and damage to communications and, energy distribution infrastructure due to extreme wind, and;
- The risk of disruption and damage to buildings and transport infrastructure due to extreme wind, coastal erosion and coastal flooding.
The report provides government, business, communities and other stakeholders with the best available evidence and analysis to inform climate adaptation and resilience at a national level. The risk assessment aims to inform the Sectoral Adaptation Plans being developed by government departments, and also local authority adaptation plans and guide other national level adaptation responses.
Speaking about the report, Laura Burke, EPA Director General said:
“Recent events, such as Storms Darragh and Éowyn, demonstrated how damage to critical infrastructure such as energy, water supply, transport and communications networks in turn give rise to impacts on human health, biodiversity and the financial system. Addressing these risks in an integrated and consistent way is key to achieving our national climate resilience objective.”
The Main Report and Summary for Policy Makers are available on the EPA website and the Climate Ireland adaptation portal.
