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Hogan Publishes Climate Change Adaptation Framework

Environment Minister Phil Hogan today published the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework, and released a report on progress overall in the development of national climate policy and legislation. The National Climate Change Adaptation Framework provides the policy context for a strategic national adaptation response to climate change in Ireland.  Under the Framework, the relevant Government Departments, Agencies and local authorities have been asked to commence the preparation of sectoral and local adaptation plans and to publish drafts of these plans by mid-2014.

This Framework plan is about equipping agencies with the analysis and tools to help people to cope with and reduce the disruption to their lives from the impacts of climate change.  It will help them to understand the changes required to enhance their quality of life, and help our economic recovery and takes account of changes to climate patterns, and extreme events.

 said Minister Hogan.

The Minister welcomed the approach which empowers sectors and local government to identify and manage climate adaptation requirements within their own areas: 

It is important that those organisations which are most familiar with their areas of responsibility are tasked with implementing measures that have direct control in the shaping of these sectoral and local adaptation plans, supported by Government and my own Department. While the Government can and will provide leadership, effective adaptive action must be underpinned by adequate and appropriate measures at sectoral and local levels.  

Under the Framework, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government will lead and co-ordinate on international, EU and national climate adaptation policy, working as appropriate through the Cabinet Committee system.  The Department will continue to support the EPA in continuing to play a lead role in building the evidence base and tools to help organisations adapt to climate change.  Met Éireann will also continue the development of climate prediction systems and provision of climate services for Ireland.

The Minister also released a statement outlining the Government’s response to the June 2012 NESC Secretariat interim policy analysis report – Towards a New National Climate Policy; the statement is also available on the Department’s website. The Minister pointed out that:

...significant progress in addressing greenhouse gas emissions had been made over the year, highlighting the extension of the carbon tax to solid fuels, and the re-structuring of VRT and motor tax as key steps on transition to a low-carbon future.

In addition, Minister Hogan announced that Departments with responsibility for key sectors in the transition to a low carbon economy had already been tasked with the preparation of individual 2050 low-carbon roadmaps, taking account of the EU low carbon agenda, the interim and final NESC Secretariat analysis, and such further evaluation of measures as the Departments concerned consider necessary.

Read the full press release here.