International Adaptation

In Ireland, national and Transport sectoral climate change adaptation is built on a framework of science and evidence, including international laws and agreements, established standards and best practice.

Together, these resources support legal commitments that have been made by nations including Ireland to reduce greenhouse gases and to protect people, communities and the environment against climate change impacts.

The work of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is an important source of scientific information and analysis on climate change impacts and adaptation globally. In 2022, Working Group II of the IPCC produced a wide-ranging report on climate change impact , adaptation and vulnerabilities as part of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.

As well as the full adaptation report, the headline findings and an FAQs document have been published for public information.

Key European Union frameworks and resources for Transport and national infrastructure include:

• the EU Adaptation Strategy, and
• the European Commission’s Technical Guidance on climate proofing of infrastructure in the period 2021 to 2027,
• the European Commission’s Communication on Managing climate risks - protecting people and prosperity.

The Climate-ADAPT online platform is also a very useful European resource for a wide range of climate change adaptation information and case studies. Developed in partnership by the European Environment Agency and the European Commission, it aims to support users to access and to share data on climate change adaptation across Europe.

The International Standards Organisation (ISO) has published a standard that focuses on climate adaptation.

ISO 14090:2019 sets out principles, requirements and guidelines for adaptation to climate change. These include how to build adaptation into and across organisations and businesses, and how to plan for and put in place adaptation actions. It also includes guidance on understanding climate change impacts and uncertainties and how these can be used to inform decisions.