1 Environmental Services Training Group LOCAL AUTHORITY ENVIRONMENT CONFERENCE 2016 Future Challenges and Opportunities for the Environment Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, May 26 th 2016.

Future Challenges and Opportunities for the Environment Climate Change Challenge Linking Local, National & International Obligations John O’Neill Principal Officer DECLG/DCCCNR

Outline International Context - UNFCCC EU Context Ireland? Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 Local Role Mitigation Adaptation Questions?

2 Degree Challenge (1.5?)

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 Agreement”

Paris Agreement Legally binding, universal agreement 187 Parties have submitted their plans (INDCs) Long-term goal C, and pursue efforts to limit to C IPCC Report! 5-year ambition cycle – 2018 Global emissions to peak as soon as possible, net zero emissions in the second half of the Century Transparency and accountability

Paris Agreement Signing – April 22 nd – New York Ratification ? Entry into Force – 55 parties (55% of total GHG) Bonn – Ad Hoc Working Group on Paris (APA) – this week!

EU Context EU signed up to 40% Reduction by 2030 compared to 1990 –ETS/non ETS – Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) Agreed at EU Council October 2014 –2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework Internal burden sharing of effort required to ensure targets are split equitably and efficiently – on-going! New Effort Sharing Decision – 2016/17? Revised Emissions Trading Directive (ETS) Renewables Directive/Energy Efficiency Directive Other legislation such as F-Gases; cars and vans;

Ireland….

National Response… 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. Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015 New Department! – Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources

Climate Act… Preparation of National Mitigation Plan – 5 year Agriculture Energy Transport Built environment Preparation of National Adaptation Framework & sectoral plans (12) Expert Advisory Council

National Mitigation Plan (NMP) How it is proposed to achieve the national transition objective the policy measures Government consider are required to manage greenhouse gas emissions the sectoral mitigation measures to be adopted by the relevant Ministers to reduce GHG emissions particular focus on putting the necessary measures in place to address the challenge to 2020 and planning ahead to be ensure that appropriate policies and measures will be in place beyond that.

Critical Success Factors Policy integration and alignment –whole-of - Government approach Behaviour Change - Buy-in by all Technology advancement Resources/Finances Local Authorities – section 4 (13) – notify the Minister of measures – key player!

Adaptation 2 degrees – 20% of world’s population will have to migrate? London, New York, Rio, Cairo, Calcutta…..

Adaptation

National Adaptation Framework – 2012 Aim: an effective role is played by all stakeholders in putting in place an active and enduring adaptation policy regime; Provides for: Development of research/knowledge Development of Sectoral Adaptation Plans (12 Sectors identified) Development of Local Adaptation Strategies DECLG has a coordinating role New National Adaptation Framework – work under way

Sectoral Responsibility…

Consultation on the New Adaptation Framework 25 submissions - An Taisce Irish Planning Institute Local Councillor ICMSA SIPTU Irish Water Gas Networks Ireland Galway County Council Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly

Climate Change Advisory Council… Established June 2015 Formally under Act – Jan members 4 ex-officio – (EPA, Teagasc, ESRI & SEAI) Chair – Prof John Fitzgerald Ottmar Edenhoffer (Chair WG III – IPCC) Frank Convery (Defence Fund, New York) EPA Secretariat

Current National Framework… Cabinet Committee – Economic Infra & CC Senior Officials Groups Technical Working Groups Research UCC/ESRI/UCD National Steering Groups – Mitigation/Adaptation Fiscal Rules New Government Cost?

Local Authorities Guidelines and tools to integrate Climate Change Adaptation into Development Planning…..

Guidelines…Research Workshop

Guidelines…seminars

EPA …Local Authority Adaptation Strategy Guidelines Adaptation Team – Preparing the Ground Baseline Identifying Future Risk Identifying, assessing and prioritising options Develop pathways and strategy Implementation, Monitoring and evaluation… Launched yesterday…..

Next Steps Workshop/Seminar to follow …. September Regional training workshops (EPA/UCC)

Resource..

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

Thank you….. Questions?