Ireland’s Climate Change Assessment (ICCA) | Volume 4 Realising the benefits of transition and transformation
- Volume 4 Team:
- Prof. Brian Caulfield (TCD), Prof. Hannah E. Daly (UCC), Dr. Diarmuid Torney (DCU),
- Dr. Róisín Moriarty (UCC), Dr. Tadhg O'Mahony (DCU), Dr. Agnieszka Stefaniec (TCD)
- Location:
- Ireland
- Themes:
- Climate change, Transformative change
- Description:
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Ireland's Climate Change Assessment (ICCA) will deliver a comprehensive Ireland-focused, state-of-scientific knowledge report on our understanding of climate change, the options to respond to the challenges it poses, and the opportunities that may arise from the planned transition to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient economy and society. This serves to complement and localise the global assessments undertaken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group reports and special reports. The findings presented in the ICCA reports are consistent with these global assessments but add valuable and necessary local context.
A series of four thematic volumes, along with an overarching synthesis report, is being developed. The volumes are as follows:
Volume 1 Science: Ireland in a changing world
Volume 2 Achieving climate neutrality by 2050
Volume 3 Being prepared for Ireland’s future climate
Volume 4 Realising the benefits of transition and transformation
A synthesis report provides an integrated overview of all four volumes.
Volume 4 focuses on the transformative change necessary to achieve ‘a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy’ by 2050, while realising the benefits, opportunities and synergies that transformative change can deliver. Transformative change is defined as a deliberate and profound shift towards sustainability, requiring fundamental, system-wide re-organisation, across technological, economic and social factors to address the underlying causes of climate change.
The following chapters have been developed as part of this work to put Ireland firmly on a pathway to sustainable development, and to achieving climate action and human wellbeing goals.
Chapter 1: Framing transformation
Chapter 2: Transforming landscapes
Chapter 3: Transforming places
Chapter 4: Transforming livelihoods
Chapter 5: Transforming lifestyles
Chapter 6: Transforming development: economy, innovation and finance
Chapter 7: Governance and policy
Chapter 8: People: building consensus, capacity and catalysing change
Chapter 9: Conclusions
Chapter 3 Transforming places focuses on systemic changes within settlements, particularly in urban systems. It highlights the importance of transformative changes in addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting places and infrastructure to a changing climate. Integrated spatial planning is emphasized as a powerful approach that can deliver multiple benefits by strategically managing climate objectives and promoting collaboration. The chapter emphasises the need for long-term strategies to reduce transport emissions through urban redesign and transformation, while advocating for transformative measures that prioritise sustainable transportation. Additionally, it underscores the significance of energy-efficient buildings and implementing measures to decrease emissions and enhance building resilience.
Chapter 5 Transforming lifestyles addresses the necessity of a socio-cultural transformation to tackle climate change challenges. It emphasizes the significance of reducing emissions by integrating demand-side strategies with other measures. Facilitating individual behavioural change through infrastructural and technological innovations is crucial in reducing energy demand and shifting behaviour patterns. Additionally, the chapter highlights the impact of individual choices on social dynamics and their contribution to the overall process of change.
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Ireland's Climate Change Assessment (ICCA) will deliver a comprehensive Ireland-focused, state-of-scientific knowledge report on our understanding of climate change, the options to respond to the challenges it poses, and the opportunities that may arise from the planned transition to a climate-neutral and climate-resilient economy and society. This serves to complement and localise the global assessments undertaken by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group reports and special reports. The findings presented in the ICCA reports are consistent with these global assessments but add valuable and necessary local context.
- Funding Agencies:
- EPA, Department of Transport, SEAI
The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action
The Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action discussing the findings of Ireland’s Climate Change Assessment Report with the authors of the report. View the video below.
