1.6.1 Climate Change

Dúnta22 Nol, 2020, 9:00am - 12 Már, 2021, 5:00pm
1.6.1 Climate Change

 

1.6.1.1 National Adaptation Framework, Planning for a Climate Resilient Ireland, 2018

Ireland is a signatory of the Paris Agreement[1] a legally binding agreement to restrict global temperature rise, and to limit any increase, to significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change. Ireland's first statutory National Adaptation Framework (NAF) was published in January 2018. The NAF sets out the national strategy to reduce the vulnerability of the country to the negative effects of climate change. The NAF was developed under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015. In relation to the ‘Built Environment and Spatial Planning’ it states that;

“It is clear that climate change considerations need to be taken into account as a matter of course in planning-related decision-making processes and that the deepening of adaptation considerations in the planning and building standards processes is considered the most appropriate way of increasing the resilience of the built environment”.

Climate change is a cross cutting overarching theme across all the other chapters in the Plan and requires to be integrated into all plans and policies and operations of the Council over time.

Integrating climate considerations into decision making should ensure that inappropriate forms of development in vulnerable areas are avoided and compact development in less vulnerable areas is promoted.

1.6.1.2 The Climate Action Plan 2019

This sets out an ambitious course of action over the coming years to address climate disruption.  The Plan clearly recognises that Ireland must significantly step up its commitments to reduce emissions and sets out targets per sector.  In relation to onshore wind energy, the Plan estimates that in 2017 the total contribution of onshore wind was 3.3 GW.  To meet the required level of emissions reduction by 2030, we will need to increase electricity generated from renewable sources to at least 70%, indicatively comprised of:

  • at least 3.5 GW of offshore renewable energy
  • up to 1.5 GW of grid-scale solar energy
  • up to 8.2 GW total of increased onshore wind capacity

 *The exact level of offshore wind, onshore wind, solar and other renewable technology will be determined by a new system of competitive auctions, known as the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), where the lowest cost technology will be determined. 

To reach the 2030 decarbonisation ambition, for electricity, the increase in onshore wind capacity will be delivered in a competitive framework of auctions and corporate contracting with a renewed focus on community and citizen participation. 

Action no. 21 of the Climate Action Plan states as follows: Ensure that updated planning guidelines for onshore wind are published in 2019.

The Council has had regard to the National Climate Change Adaptation Framework in framing this development plan and has already sought to introduce planning and development measures in the overall approach to adaptation to climate change, for example by ensuring that risks of flooding are identified and integrated into the planning process.  The local authority recognises that a pro-active approach, in which the challenges posed by climate change are integrated into the development of policies, plans and programmes is essential.

The Council have integrated and will continue to integrate both mitigation and adaptation measures into the City & County Development as required by National and Regional policies and objectives.

 

1.6.1.3 Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

In accordance with the provisions of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, Kilkenny County Council published its Climate Change Adaptation Strategy[2] (CCAS) in 2019.  The Kilkenny CCAS recommends actions for climate adaptation and mitigation. The CCAS includes a number of policy recommendations to ensure County Kilkenny remains resilient to climate change and those recommendations have been included in this Development Plan.

 

[1] A legally binding global agreement on climate change was agreed in Paris on 12th December 2015

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