THE Environmental Protection Agency has warned that Ireland needs to prepare itself better for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.
The EPA yesterday published "A Summary of the State of Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts for Ireland", an assessment of the current knowledge on climate change and its expected impacts for Ireland.
The report provides what its authors say is a high level assessment of possible impacts for key economic and social sectors in Ireland and identifies a number of "adaptation options" and "gaps in knowledge".
Laura Burke, EPA director of the Office of Climate, Licensing and Resource Use, said: "Climate Change is happening in Ireland. This report sets out the likely impacts of temperature rises, wetter winters and warmer seas on areas as diverse as agriculture, fishing, disease control and infrastructural networks. We need to adapt to climate change and to ensure adaptation actions are environmentally and economically sustainable."
Changes already identified in Irish climate include:
* Air temperature increased by 0.7C since 1890. The increase was 0.4C during the period 1980-2008 which is equivalent to 0.14C per decade. Temperature is expected to rise by 1C to 3C by 2100.
* There has been a significant rise in total rainfall in the north and west. Projected changes include wetter western winters and drier summers in the south-east.
* The frequency of storms has decreased, but the intensity has increased.
Meanwhile, the Government has said it wants to slash harmful greenhouse gas emissions by 10% in one year to meet EU targets.
With just over a month to go until an international climate change conference in Denmark, a new website advises people how to reduce their carbon footprint.
The European Union has already agreed to reduce emissions by a fifth by 2020 and up to 95% by 2050.
Environment Minister John Gormley claimed the level of change needed to meet the radical targets was almost inconceivable. "The sort of change that is required now is, I think for most people, incomprehensible. It would mean huge reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors. These are going to be very onerous targets indeed, but also very necessary."
The website www.1010.ie calls on everybody to sign a pledge supporting the Government’s efforts to secure a deal in Copenhagen and encourages the public to slash their CO2 emissions.
A special Oireachtas committee yesterday unveiled legislation shifting the onus for tackling global warming on to Taoiseach Brian Cowen. The new laws would make the Taoiseach and his successors answerable to the Dáil on what progress Ireland was making to slash its greenhouse gas emissions. Mr Gormley had not read the proposals, but vowed climate change legislation would be introduced by the Government.
Irish Examiner
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label climate change and planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climate change and planning. Show all posts
Friday, 30 October 2009
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
Major public awareness campaign on climate change
Mr John Gormley T.D, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has announced that he is inviting tenders for the design and delivery of a major new Climate Change Communications and Public Awareness Campaign.
The contract will be awarded for an initial two-year period and may be extended up to an additional three years.
"Climate change is happening and its causes are clear - greenhouse gases from human activity. Our response must be equally clear - we must act decisively to reduce these emissions. This Government will deliver on Ireland's Kyoto Protocol commitments and will prepare Ireland for the further emissions reductions that lie ahead. It is clear to me that Irish people want to play their part in tackling climate change and this awareness campaign will help them to do just that" - Minister Gormley said.
The overall objective of the campaign will be to measurably improve public understanding of climate change, its causes and implications. It will support the actions required to meet Ireland's emissions target under the Kyoto Protocol and further emissions reduction targets that are anticipated. Many of these actions are detailed in the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 and in the Agreed Programme for Government.
All relevant sectors and activities will be addressed in the campaign - including energy, transport, agriculture, residential, the public sector and business.
A notice inviting expressions of interest in the contract has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the e-tenders website - Click Here
The closing date for applications is 20th August 2007.
A short-list will be drawn up inviting a selection of applicants to submit complete tenders under the second stage of the procurement process. It is anticipated that the campaign will be formally launched in November.
The contract will be awarded for an initial two-year period and may be extended up to an additional three years.
"Climate change is happening and its causes are clear - greenhouse gases from human activity. Our response must be equally clear - we must act decisively to reduce these emissions. This Government will deliver on Ireland's Kyoto Protocol commitments and will prepare Ireland for the further emissions reductions that lie ahead. It is clear to me that Irish people want to play their part in tackling climate change and this awareness campaign will help them to do just that" - Minister Gormley said.
The overall objective of the campaign will be to measurably improve public understanding of climate change, its causes and implications. It will support the actions required to meet Ireland's emissions target under the Kyoto Protocol and further emissions reduction targets that are anticipated. Many of these actions are detailed in the National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012 and in the Agreed Programme for Government.
All relevant sectors and activities will be addressed in the campaign - including energy, transport, agriculture, residential, the public sector and business.
A notice inviting expressions of interest in the contract has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union and on the e-tenders website - Click Here
The closing date for applications is 20th August 2007.
A short-list will be drawn up inviting a selection of applicants to submit complete tenders under the second stage of the procurement process. It is anticipated that the campaign will be formally launched in November.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
Climate threat: Emergency-like reaction needed
GREEN Party leader John Gormley yesterday said Ireland should respond to the threat posed by climate change in the way it responded during what was called “The Emergency” in World War II.
In a major speech at the McGill summer school in Donegal, the Environment Minister leader set out his comprehensive priorities for Government, unsurprisingly identifying global warming as the main one.
“My personal belief is that, such is the gravity of the situation, it can only be addressed by recognising now that we have the global emergencies. And emergencies require emergency responses,” he said.
“The sort of response I’m referring to was evident in our own country during what we euphemistically called ‘The Emergency’. During the war what would be considered extreme measures, but which were nevertheless necessary because of the circumstances, were introduced and accepted by the general public.”
Mr Gormley argued that business as usual was no longer an option and that the crisis would mean “major changes in our lifestyles”. He went on to say that it didn’t necessarily mean a reduction in quality of life or standards of living.
He pointed out that the Government had set itself a “challenging target” of a 3% reduction a year on average in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as full compliance with the Kyoto targets.
However, he conceded that the carbon credits were here to stay, though previously the Greens had criticised the Government’s use of them.
“While carbon credits are a second-best solution, they do have a role to play, and along with most other EU member states, we will have to avail of them.”
Harry McGee
© Irish Examiner
In a major speech at the McGill summer school in Donegal, the Environment Minister leader set out his comprehensive priorities for Government, unsurprisingly identifying global warming as the main one.
“My personal belief is that, such is the gravity of the situation, it can only be addressed by recognising now that we have the global emergencies. And emergencies require emergency responses,” he said.
“The sort of response I’m referring to was evident in our own country during what we euphemistically called ‘The Emergency’. During the war what would be considered extreme measures, but which were nevertheless necessary because of the circumstances, were introduced and accepted by the general public.”
Mr Gormley argued that business as usual was no longer an option and that the crisis would mean “major changes in our lifestyles”. He went on to say that it didn’t necessarily mean a reduction in quality of life or standards of living.
He pointed out that the Government had set itself a “challenging target” of a 3% reduction a year on average in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as full compliance with the Kyoto targets.
However, he conceded that the carbon credits were here to stay, though previously the Greens had criticised the Government’s use of them.
“While carbon credits are a second-best solution, they do have a role to play, and along with most other EU member states, we will have to avail of them.”
Harry McGee
© Irish Examiner
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