CLIMATE RESILIENT KILDARE Kildare County Council
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CLIMATE RESILIENT KILDARE Kildare County Council CLIMATE RESILIENT KILDARE Kildare County Council Kildare County Council Áras Chill Dara, Devoy Park, Naas, Co Kildare. Kildare County Council Kildare W91 X77F Climate Change Adaptation County Telephone (045) 980200 Strategy Council Email [email protected] 2019 - 2024 www. kildarecoco.ie Global temperatures have risen and are projected to rise further bringing changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels as well as increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather. Ireland’s climate is changing in line with global patterns and these changes are bringing significant and wide ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. Foreword Climate change is not Climate change has come to something happening in the the forefront of political and future, it is taking place right societal discussion in recent now. It is impacting on an times. It poses a serious threat international stage but also on to humanity and our society, both nationally and in environment. The County is County Kildare. This is resulting already experiencing climate in an increased demand on the council’s operations to risks including power outages, flooding, heat waves provide services and requires change in how we plan and drought conditions. Climate change will increase for future extreme events. Planning for the effects of these risks going forward which will have climate change is required now. considerable impacts on communities, businesses and on the Local Authority’s ability to continue As the host of the Eastern & Midlands Climate Action providing services to its customers. Regional Office, Kildare County Council is the lead for coordinating the work of 17 Local Authorities in Local government has a key role to play in building preparing their adaptation strategies and is also climate resilience in our communities through focusing on identifying job and business opportunities working with existing networks such as the Public that may arise. This role fits well with its corporate Participation Network, Local Community Development objective of seeking to be an innovative and Committees, Tidy Towns and the Chamber of progressive county, which is host to a range of modern Commerce. In addition, the role of the Strategic Policy industries such as Intel, Kerry Group and Pfizer. Committees and the Corporate Policy Group provides a unique opportunity to help shape this council’s I welcome this Climate Change Adaptation Strategy response to the challenges and opportunities of as the first step in building the foundations required to climate change. enhance resilience to climate hazards. This strategy provides a fundamental tool for local authorities to Along with reducing climate risks within its own address such challenges and for developing council operations this Climate Adaptation Strategy is innovative and sustainable solutions that address also a solid initial step in helping to reduce adaptation and enhanced resilience to a changing vulnerabilities and build adaptive capacity among climate. It aims to provide benefits at a relatively the citizenry. We need to ensure our communities and reduced cost when compared to the more common businesses are supported in adapting to the impacts reactive approach. I wish to express appreciation to of climate change. everyone who has contributed to the preparation of this strategy. Suzanne Doyle Peter Carey Cathaoirleach Chief Executive Kildare County Council Kildare County Council 1 Table of Contents Foreword 1 Acknowledgements 3 Executive Summary 5 Chapter 1: Introduction & Background 7 Introduction 7 Purpose of this Strategy 7 The Challenge of Climate Change 8 The Challenge for Ireland 8 What is Climate Adaptation? 10 Adaptation & Mitigation Explained 12 Adaptation Policy Context 14 Methodology 16 Environmental Assessment – SEA / AA 17 Chapter 2: Mitigation in Kildare County Council 18 Introduction 18 Energy Reduction Targets 18 Kildare County Council Mitigation Activities 19 Mitigation in Action 20 Chapter 3: Vision, Goals and Guiding Principles 22 Chapter 4: Regional & Local Context 25 Eastern & Midlands Climate Action Region and County Kildare in Context 25 Background to the Eastern & Midlands Climate Action Regional Office 26 Profile of Eastern & Midlands Climate Action Region 27 Kildare in Profile 28 Chapter 5: Assessing the Current Baseline 33 Introduction 33 Observed Climate Hazards 33 Kildare – Climate Hazards 36 Impacts of Climate Hazards on Kildare County Council 40 Consequences 43 Flood Risk Management 43 Opportunities 44 Chapter 6: Climate Risk Identification 47 Climate Risk Identification 47 Chapter 7: Goals, Objectives and Actions 51 Introduction 51 Adaptation Framework for Kildare County Council 51 Role of Kildare County Council 53 Adaptation Actions 53 Timeframes 53 Goal 1: Local Adaptation Governance and Business Operations 55 Goal 2: Infrastructure and Built Environment 65 Goal 3: Landuse and Development 70 Goal 4: Drainage and Flood Management 76 Goal 5: Natural Resources & Cultural Infrastructure 80 Goal 6: Community Health & Wellbeing 85 Chapter 8: Implementation Monitoring & Evaluation 89 Appendix Appendix 1: Kildare County Council Climate Action Team Members. 94 Appendix 2: Glossary of Terms 95 Appendix 3: Acronyms 99 Appendix 4: Maps of Kildare 100 2 Acknowledgements This Strategy was developed through collaboration with and contributions from Elected Members Environmental Services and Water Strategic Policy Committee Senior Management Team The Kildare County Council Climate Action Team (please see appendix for team members) GIS Unit in Kildare County Council All staff in Kildare County Council Developed and Compiled by Paul Regan Kildare County Council With assistance from The Eastern & Midlands Climate Action Regional Office Climate Ireland ICARUS at Maynooth University Marine and Renewable Energy Ireland at University College Cork 3 Global temperatures have risen and are projected to rise further bringing changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels as well as increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather. Ireland’s climate is changing in line with global patterns and these changes are bringing significant and wide ranging economic, environmental and social impacts. 4 Executive Summary Climate Change and Adaptation Assessing Current Adaptation Baseline - Background Vulnerabilities, sensitivities and risks The Earth’s climate is changing with global The impacts of climate change experienced in temperatures rising at a rate far greater than County Kildare generally reflect the national pattern experienced in recent history. Changes in weather and trends of observed climate hazards. A review of patterns have been observed around the world extreme weather events over the past 35 years was including changes in the frequency and intensity of undertaken using published Met Éireann data along extreme weather events. Ireland’s climate is changing with information from Kildare County Council. This in line with global trends with temperatures expected assessment of climatic hazards identified four main to rise even further intensifying the changes already climatic categories including: experienced at a local level. This in turn will have impacts on an environmental, economical and • Wind storms. societal level. • Extreme heat/drought events. • Extreme rainfall events. Climate change is now accepted as a global challenge • Freezing conditions/snow events. and requires policy responses in both: Combination events i.e. two extreme climatic events Mitigation to considerably reduce greenhouse • occurring simultaneously are also noted. Such gas emissions. combinations give rise to more severe and destructive Adaptation to ensure communities, and society as • impacts. a whole, become resilient to the impacts and risks of climate change. Future risks to projected climates changes Climate change projections indicate that: Purpose of this strategy • Warming in Kildare will continue especially in the As the level of government closest to local summer and winter. communities and enterprise and as first responders in • The County will experience more extreme weather many emergencies, Kildare County Council is uniquely conditions including rainfall events and storms. placed to be a leader in achieving the national • There will be an increased likelihood of fluvial objective of becoming a more climate resilient society flooding. and economy by 2050 with the capability to tackle the • Winters will be wetter and summers will be drier many challenges that climate change can present. (which could lead to water shortages). • These climate changes will impact the type, This Local Authority Adaptation Strategy takes on the distribution and lifecycles of species. role as the primary instrument at local level to: These projections signal significant challenges for the • Ensure a proper comprehension of the key risks Council and the people of the County. Climate Change and vulnerabilities of climate change is grasped. will have further effect on land use including • Bring forward the implementation of climate agriculture, forestry and peatlands, on biodiversity, resilient adaptation actions in a planned and on water resources, human health, the economy and proactive manner. society. • Ensure that climate adaptation considerations are mainstreamed into all plans and policies and integrated into all operations and functions of the local authority. 5 Vision – Goals – Objectives – Actions As adaptation responses require collective 1 Local Adaptation