The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., has 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.

"Addressing climate change requires two types of action responses – mitigation and adaptation. Over the past decade or more, the predominant focus has been on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, findings of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have revealed that some level of climate change is inevitable, irrespective of emission reduction strategies. The National Adaptation Framework is therefore a critical component in managing the harmful impacts of climate change and will be a key and necessary complement to action on mitigation. The National Adaptation Framework, which is based on the EU approach, introduces an integrated policy framework, involving all stakeholders on all institutional levels to ensure adaptation measures are taken across different sectors and levels of government to manage and reduce Ireland's vulnerability to the negative impacts of climate change."

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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.

(CD/IT)