1 Environmental Services Training Group LOCAL AUTHORITY ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE 2015 Protecting Our Environment Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, May 2015.

Protecting Our Environment Climate Change Challenge Linking Local, National & International Obligations John O’Neill Principal Officer DECLG

Outline  International Context - UNFCCC  EU Context  Ireland?  Climate Bill  Local Role – Adaptation ? Mitigation?  Questions?

2 Degree Challenge

Risks….

International Context - UNFCCC  In 1992 – UNFCCC  Followed by Kyoto Protocol (KP) in 1997  Conference of the Parties (COP) meets annually  Durban COP (2011)  Doha COP (2012)  Warsaw COP (2013)  Lima COP (2014) – “Call for Climate Action”- INDC’s  Paris 2015 – “The Paris Protocol”??

The Cycle….

EU Context  EU15 collectively signs up to KP1  EU29 sign up to KP2  Internal burden sharing of effort required to ensure targets are split equitably and efficiently  Effort Sharing Decision  Revised Emissions Trading Directive - MSR  Renewables Directive  Energy Efficiency  Other legislation such as F-Gases; cars and vans;

EU Context  Emissions declined 19% – 2013  GDP grew by 45% over same period  2020 Targets based on agreed Effort Sharing Decision (ESD)  EU Climate & Energy Framework 2030  EU leaders agreed economy wide target All sectors, all sources of emissions At least 40% - compared to 1990 Agriculture, Forestry and other Land Uses  Ambitious and Fair Cost efficient pathway to 80% reductions by 2050 (Roadmap)

EU Consultation…Local?  Commission consultation – Deadline 17 th June legislation to amend / extend the Effort Sharing Decision to reduce EU non-ETS emissions by 30% by 2030 relative to 2005 levels 6 questions… Is there a need for additional EU action in terms of capacity building and similar support targeted at the regional and local level to facilitate national policies and measures under the ESD after 2020?

Ireland….CO 2 per person 2012

Ireland….GHG per person 2012

Ireland….

National Policy…  National Climate Change Strategy  Review in 2011  Publication of Policy 2014 The low-carbon roadmapping process will be guided by a long-term vision of low-carbon transition based on –  an aggregate reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of at least 80% (compared to 1990 levels) by 2050 across the electricity generation, built environment and transport sectors; and  in parallel, an approach to carbon neutrality in the agriculture and land-use sector, including forestry, which does not compromise capacity for sustainable food production.  Outline Heads of Climate Bill – 2013  General Scheme of Bill – 2014 –  Published January 2015  Completed 2 nd Stage – awaiting Committee Stage

Climate Bill…

Main Provisions of the Bill…  Preparation of National Mitigation Plan – 5 year Agriculture Energy Transport Built environment  Preparation of National Adaptation Framework & sectoral plans (12)  Expert Advisory Council

Sectoral Plans… Sectoral Adaptation Plan Water Emergency Planning Marine Agriculture Forestry Biodiversity Heritage Transport Energy Communications Flood Defence Health

Current National Framework…  Cabinet Committee – Economic Infra & CC  Senior Officials Groups  Technical Working Groups  Research UCC/ESRI/UCD  National Steering Groups – Mitigation/Adaptation

Transitional Challenge…  Fiscal Rules  Starting Point – lost investment opportunity  Compliance Costs  Existing Policies/Measures  New Measures?  Alignment – Misalignment (OECD)?  Co-Benefits?

National Adaptation Framework – 2012  Local Adaptation Plans Supporting communities – delivery of services and infrastructure Incorporate adaptation (and mitigation) into Development Plans Collect Evidence – raise awareness Role of CCMA Stakeholders – Participatory Process Guidelines?

Guidelines…

EPA …Local Authority Adaptation Strategy Guidelines  Draft Stage – Published shortly…. Adaptation Team – Preparing the Ground Baseline Identifying Future Risk Identifying, assessing and prioritising options Develop pathways and strategy Implementation, Monitoring and evaluation… Workshop/Seminar to follow?….

Next steps to consider…?  Adaptation Plan = Local Development Plan?  National Mitigation Plan Input to plan Role in implementation  Rural Development Programme? Rural land use? Planning  Cities/Towns Urban Mobility Today Towns  Awareness

Thank you…..  Questions?