3 days ago
Heydon opens consultation on climate change adaptation plan
A public consultation has been opened on a new climate change adaptation plan for the agriculture and forestry sectors.
The consultation was announced today (Thursday, August 7) by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon.
Climate change adaptation refers to the process of adjusting to current or anticipated effects of climate change, and the new 'Sectoral Adaptation Plan for the Agriculture, Forestry and Seafood Sectors' outlines these plans for the agri-sector.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, climate change adaptation is not a one-off emergency response, but a "strategic and proactive" effort to build the resilience of our economy, communities, and ecosystems.
Effective adaptation aims to reduce the long-term costs of climate-related disruptions while "seizing any new opportunities that a changing climate may present", the department said.
This process includes preparing for a range of events such as floods, fodder shortages, and severe storms affecting harbours, forests, and other vulnerable sectors.
The draft plan highlights a number of case studies identifying how the sectors have been "impacted by changing weather patterns" and what steps can be taken towards "building resilience".
Feedback on the plan, and suggestions on how the department and various sectors in agriculture can best prepare for future climate-related challenges, can be submitted before the consultation closes on September 4.
Commenting on the consultation, Minister Heydon said: "We have made considerable progress in mainstreaming adaptation into policy development."
The minister said that the adaptation already forms part of several department policies for agriculture and forestry.
He added: "In addition to reducing our emissions, we need to ensure that our food production system is resilient and ready to adapt to future climate risks.
"Farmers, landowners, and fishermen are very much to the forefront of dealing with the impacts of a changing climate in their everyday activities.
"However, climate change is not just an issue for the primary producer; it is something that everyone in the production chain needs to consider," Minister Heydon said.
"The Irish agriculture, forestry and seafood sectors will not only be impacted by changes in climate here at home, but also by climate change globally," he added.
