New climate adaptation plans for Biodiversity, Heritage and Water to protect these sectors from the impacts of climate change

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published Sectoral Adaptation Plans identifying the risks posed by climate change and to safeguard the areas of Water Quality, Water Services Infrastructure, Built & Archaeological Heritage, and Biodiversity against its impacts.

The plans set out how these key sectors are preparing for impacts already being experienced and for future risks due to our changing climate.

The plans are published as part of the Government’s National Adaptation Framework which sets out the objective of transitioning to a climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050.

Minister for Housing, Heritage and Local Government, James Browne TD, commented;

“These plans assess the risks of climate change in the context of its impact on our water quality, water infrastructure, biodiversity and our built and archaeological heritage. The plans allow us to understand those risks, plan for them and put in place measures to adapt our practices to a changing climate. We need a resilient water infrastructure system and the measures outlined in this plan means we can constantly monitor the risks to our water infrastructure due to climate change, putting in place proactive measures to safeguard its security.”

Minister of State for Heritage, Nature and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, followed:

“Our natural environment, flora and fauna, are fragile to changes brought about by climate change. These plans are about understanding the challenges we face and taking steps to adapt to the reality of a changing climate.

"Similarly our precious built and archaeological heritage, so representative of our past and important to life in our communities, is threatened by stormier weather, potential higher temperatures and other impacts. Earlier this week the National Monuments Service and OPW launched a Climate Vulnerability Assessment of Sceilg Mhichíl. We hope to use that to better inform our understanding of adaptation in other heritage sites. This overall Sectoral Adaptation Plan will help us to care for our heritage more broadly as part of Government policy.”

All three Sectoral Adaption Plans are based on extensive stakeholder and public consultation.

Highlight goals and actions in each of the plans include:

Water Quality and Water Services Infrastructure sectors:

• Enhance resilience of the water sector through effective multi-stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor and share data and information to increase resilience and promote adaptation.
• Establish mechanisms to report on progress in adaptation implementation.
• Protect and enhance aquatic waterbodies, while preventing further deterioration.
• Enhance existing drinking water services treatment infrastructure.

Nature-based solutions, such as integrated catchment management and natural water retention measures, are being prioritised under the plan for their co-benefits in enhancing water quality, biodiversity, and flood resilience.

Built & Archaeological Heritage

The Plan commits to improving understanding of each heritage resource and its vulnerability to climate change impacts and to developing and enacting sustainable policies and plans for climate change adaptation of built and archaeological heritage.

Priority actions include:

• Progress the development of National Heritage Risk Mapping (NHRM);
• Develop and promote a Climate Risk Assessment methodology;
• Develop strategies for recording, maintaining and adapting heritage resources in the face of climate impacts, with a focus on traditional and nature-based techniques and materials;
• Continue to integrate climate-change adaptation into all policies and heritage plans;
• Create strategies for the assessment and monitoring of heritage assets to assist in building their resilience to the impacts of climate change;
• Work with other sectors to develop aligned plans and policies for climate action in areas of mutual interest that deliver co-benefits

Biodiversity

The Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Biodiversity aims to strengthen the evidence base to identify and understand the impacts of climate change on biodiversity and guide effective, science-based responses. It also aims to drive co-ordinated, targeted and funded delivery of actions across all relevant actors to protect and restore the resilience of ecosystems to climate change and enhance nature’s contribution to people. Delivery of the Plan will also be supported by actions underway through the fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan.

Notes to the editor / Further Information

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Sectoral Adaption Plans:

https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/sectoral-adaptation-planning/

About the process of devising SAPs

The Sectoral Adaption Plans (SAPs) are published under the National Adaptation Framework (NAF) which required the development SAPs for 13 key sectors, grouped according to the themes of Natural Environment, Built Environment and Infrastructure, Human, and Economy.

The SAPs are a key deliverable of the NAF and set out actions across the13 sectors to ensure that Ireland’s society, ecosystems, infrastructure, economy, and competitiveness are resilient to the impacts of climate change.

For more info see: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-climate-energy-and-the-environment/campaigns/sectoral-adaptation-planning/

This is the second planning cycle of Sectoral Adaptation Plans, building on a first plans produced in 2019

These second plans have been drafted on the basis of:

· Thorough research and scientific data;

· Extensive consultation with stakeholders, and;

· Incorporation of lessons learned.

Government response:

The Government is committed to protecting Ireland’s present and future generations by investing in climate adaptation measures to manage the impacts of extreme weather events. There is a need to support communities, ecosystems, and businesses as climate risks continue to rise. Insufficient climate change adaptation measures and a lack of climate change resilience undermine competitiveness and economic growth. Successful adaptation will support competitiveness and economic growth. Requirement for SAPs under the NAF:

The Climate and Low Carbon Development Acts 2015-2021 (the Climate Act) require that Ireland prepares a National Adaptation Framework (NAF) to set out the potential implications of climate change for Ireland and outline the national strategy for the development of adaptation measures.

Last year the Government approved Ireland’s second NAF. The NAF establishes a set of key principles to be used when planning for and implementing adaptation actions aimed at reducing vulnerabilities, enhancing resilience, and safeguarding communities, sectors, regions, ecosystems, and economies against the adverse impacts of climate change. The NAF recognises the importance of continually strengthening the national adaptation response in line with developments made in assessing risk, new research, and reducing impacts over time across key sectors.

In June 2025 the EPA published Ireland’s first National Climate Change Risk Assessment (NCCRA), a key deliverable under the NAF. The NCCRA is a significant piece of work that will support our understanding of the risks of climate change and will help the Government to prioritise action and direct resources to counter the risks that are most urgent now and into the future. The NCCRA supported the development of the SAPs. DCEE led on the National coordination of sectoral adaptation actions so that cross-cutting issues are identified and addressed.

About the Sectoral Adaptation Plans and Climate Adaptation

The Government is committed to protecting Ireland’s present and future generations by investing in climate adaptation measures to manage the impacts of extreme weather events. There is a need to support communities, ecosystems, and businesses as climate risks continue to rise. Insufficient climate change adaptation measures and a lack of climate change resilience undermine competitiveness and economic growth. Successful adaptation will support competitiveness and economic growth.

What the SAPs are and what they will do:

The SAPs set out what effective adaptation actions and measures will be taken over the next few years and outline adaptation objectives over the longer term to ensure that Ireland’s society, infrastructure, economy, and competitiveness are resilient to the impacts of climate change.

There are 10 SAPs covering 13 priority sectors:

· Agriculture, Forestry and Seafood; DAFM

· Biodiversity; DHLGH

· Electricity and Gas Networks; DCEE

· Flood Risk Management; OPW

· Water Quality and Water Services Infrastructure; DHLGH

· Health; D/Health

· Built and Archaeological Heritage; DHLGH

· Transport infrastructure; D/Transport

· Communications Networks; Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

· Tourism; Department of Enterprise, Tourism, and Employment

All sectoral adaptation plans utilised the results of the NCCRA and followed sectoral adaptation planning guidelines published in August 2024 to ensure a consistent approach. Sectors undertook a sectoral risk assessment, prioritised actions, and considered cross-cutting impacts.

Implementation:

With the SAPs recently published, sectors have now entered the implementation phase of the sectoral adaptation planning cycle.

Ends