b'1.3The Challenge of Climate ChangeSome impacts of global warming such as sea level Climate is described as the average weather rise and coastal flooding are already locked in and prevailing in an area over a period of time. Climateunavoidable. The full impacts of current warming have Change is a significant change in weather patternsnot yet been seen, since ice sheets and oceans take such as rainfall, temperature, and / or wind, which many decades to fully react to higher temperatures.continue over an extended period of time (i.e. over decades or longer). The Earths climate is constantlyClimate Change is one of the most pressing global changing. Climatic fluctuations are known to occurpolicy challenges facing governments and requires from natural causes including the Earths orbit andimmediate commitment to action. tilt, volcanic eruptions, variations in solar energy and other phenomena such as the El Nino effect. 11.4The challenge for Ireland There is evidence that Irelands climate is changingHowever, in more recent times, there are growing in line with the global trends of climate change.concerns that natural changes in the Earths climateOver the last few decades our climate has warmed, are being overtaken by human-related activities whichsea-levels have risen, rainfall patterns have changed are negatively influencing climate variability andand the county has been impacted by frequent, intense give rise to serious implications for the rate of globaland more extreme weather events. Temperatures have warming. increased by 0.8 0 C since 1900 and sea level rises of about 3.5cm per decade have been observed since Scientific evidence for warming of the climate 1990. Climate Change has diverse and wide ranging system is unequivocal. According to the impacts on Irelands economic and natural resources Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change including: (IPCC) 2warming of the climate system is attributable to human activities as a consequence of greenhouseMore intense storms and rainfall events giving risegas emissions 3from:to disruption to society Increased river and coastal floodingBurning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas, peat andWater shortages in summercoal resulting in carbon dioxide emissions. Increased risk of new pests and diseasesAgricultural activities that lead to methane andAdverse impacts on water qualitynitrous oxide emissions. Changes in the distribution and phenology of plantEmissions from changes in land use such as and animal species on land and in the oceans4urbanisation, deforestation and desertification.Emissions from these activities are entering theatmosphere, trapping more of the suns radiation and reflecting back to the earths surface giving rise to1 El Nino is a climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean with a globalglobal warming. The term greenhouse effect has beenimpact on weather patterns. coined to describe this occurrence. 2 The IPCC was created in 1988. One of its key objectives is to provide governments at all levels with scientific information that The effects of global warming are observed throughthey can use to develop climate policies. IPCC reports are a key reductions in snow and ice in Polar Regions, increaseinput into international climate change negotiations.in global mean surface temperatures, rise in sea levels3 Greenhouse Gases include: water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO2), and changes in some climate extremes i.e. weathermethane CH4), nitrous oxide (N20) and industrial gasses:events. Scientists and researchers state these changesHydrofuorocarbons HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs), Sulphur are occurring rapidly, are considerable, and will haveHexaflouride (SF6), and Nitrogen Triflourise (NF3). CarbonDioxide emissions in the atmosphere are the main greenhouse consequences for current and future generations.gas caused by human activity4 EPA Research, A summary of the state of knowledge on Climate Change Impacts for Ireland, Report No. 223, 2017.8'