Saturday, 04 October 2025
Ireland Urged to Act on Storm Readiness as Climate Council Sounds Alarm The Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has issued a stark warning about Ireland’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, stating that not enough tangible action has been taken following the damage caused by Storms Darragh and Éowyn. In its newly launched report, Annual Review […]
The Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has issued a stark warning about Ireland’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, stating that not enough tangible action has been taken following the damage caused by Storms Darragh and Éowyn.
In its newly launched report, Annual Review on Preparing for Ireland’s Changing Climate, the CCAC called on the government to urgently prioritise high-impact adaptation measures before the next storm season.
While Ireland faces unique geographical and infrastructural challenges, its struggle to adapt to more frequent extreme weather mirrors a global pattern. The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report emphasizes that even well-resourced nations are underprepared for the scale and complexity of climate impacts. Ireland’s vulnerability to flooding, coastal erosion, and storm damage places it alongside other Atlantic nations needing rapid, systemic adaptation strategies.
Ireland has committed to the EU Climate Adaptation Strategy, which aims for a climate-resilient Union by 2050. However, to meet these international goals, domestic policy must now align more closely with measurable resilience benchmarks and ensure adaptation funding is safeguarded, even in times of budgetary pressure.
The council expressed concern that a cross-government review of the response to Storm Éowyn, expected to provide critical insights, has yet to be published. This delay, they said, represents a missed opportunity to learn from recent failures in emergency response systems.
Among its key recommendations, the CCAC called for:
Delivery of Emergency Response Hubs to support people during service outages.
Establishment of a permanent, well-funded Extreme Weather Assistance Scheme for individuals, communities, and businesses affected by future events.
Defined annual funding for Local Authority climate adaptation efforts, beginning with Budget 2026.
Permanent resourcing of Climate Action Regional Offices and Local Authority climate staff, to enable long-term resilience planning and implementation at a local level.
The CCAC stressed the importance of forthcoming Sectoral Adaptation Plans, which must include ambitious, well-funded actions with clearly defined outcomes. These plans are seen as central to improving national climate resilience, especially in safeguarding critical infrastructure such as water, electricity, and communications.
“With extreme weather events continuing to increase in both magnitude and frequency, communities throughout Ireland must be better protected from their devastating impacts,” said Prof. Peter Thorne, Chair of the CCAC Adaptation Committee.
He added that the cascading effects of recent storms have revealed serious flaws in Ireland’s preparedness and that stronger political leadership is essential.
Ireland’s agricultural sector stands at a crossroads, as it simultaneously contributes to and is impacted by climate change. While adaptation measures are being developed, the sector faces increasing pressure to shift toward climate-smart agriculture, with practices that reduce emissions, improve soil health, and support biodiversity.
Key opportunities include:
Expanding agroforestry and perennial crop systems.
Encouraging rotational grazing and soil regeneration techniques.
Integrating precision agriculture to reduce fertiliser and water waste.
The CCAC’s concern about monocultures in agriculture and forestry reflects a broader need to diversify production systems, both to protect against economic shocks and to ensure long-term ecological resilience.
While the council welcomed the publication of Ireland’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment and the inclusion of climate change adaptation in the revised National Planning Framework, it urged the government to build on these steps rapidly.
In addition, the revised National Development Plan must translate national priorities into real, tangible climate resilience projects at the local level. The council stressed the need for cross-government accountability and for key adaptation actions to be integrated into the upcoming Climate Action Plan 2026.
The CCAC also highlighted the vital role of biodiverse ecosystems and landscapes in providing climate resilience and improving air, water, and soil quality. It noted that agri-environment schemes dominate biodiversity spending in Ireland, and called for:
Enhanced long-term incentives for biodiversity-friendly farming.
Discouragement of monocultures in agriculture and forestry.
Creation of a Climate Action Unit within the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
Closer collaboration between Local Authority biodiversity officers and climate action teams to streamline efforts and avoid duplication.
The council’s message is clear: Ireland cannot afford to delay action on climate adaptation. From funding and infrastructure planning to ecosystem protection, decisive steps are needed to ensure communities across the country are protected from the increasing risks of extreme weather.
“There must also be greater accountability for the delivery of climate adaptation across government,” Prof. Thorne concluded.
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