Draft climate plan proposes hundreds of actions to protect Northern Ireland
The draft third Northern Ireland climate change adaptation programme (NICCAP3) includes more than 250 actions suggested by government departments, councils, academia, NGOs, businesses and the public.
These are aimed at improving resilience against the impacts of climate change to protect the economy, communities and environment from the worst impacts over the next five years.
An eight-week public consultation will gather views on the proposals.
Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir said the impacts of climate change are widespread and action is needed.
'In recent years, Northern Ireland has witnessed new record temperatures, significant fires in our countryside, widespread severe flooding events and damage to coastal infrastructure, impacting upon farming and food production, roads and other infrastructure such as our electricity and broadband networks,' he said.
'It is evident that the impacts of climate change are widespread and effective adaptation action to improve our resilience is required.
'I very much welcome the collaborative effort from across all government departments and wider society in developing the draft NICCAP3.'
Ciaran Fox, the director of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects and chairman of Climate NI, said key stakeholders can help improve resilience to climate change.
'I welcome the proactive approach that has been taken to the development of the draft NICCAP3 through both the inclusion of actions from outside departments and the co-design approach that has been taken to the development of the high-level vision and aims,' he said.
'This approach recognises the important role key stakeholders from across all sectors can play in building and improving our resilience to climate change.
'The draft NICCAP3, through the series of short case studies included in it, demonstrates some of the positive work that has already been progressed. These help to demonstrate the role all sectors of society can play.'
He added: 'It is crucial that we ensure our current processes and infrastructure take account of and are equipped to face the climate impacts highlighted in the Met Office's UK climate change projections and those impacts which are now already locked in.'
The public consultation on NICCAP3 will close on August 4 2025.
It can can be accessed now at daera-ni.gov.uk/consultations/public-consultation-draft-third-northern-ireland-climate-change-adaptation-programme-niccap3.
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