The country has been warned it must invest now to help prepare for extreme weather events.
The warning from the Climate Change Advisory Council comes as it publishes a review which examines Ireland’s changing climate, projected future changes, and the critical need to adapt.
The publication of the report comes at a time where many parts of the North West are still recovering from the damage caused by storm Éowyn.
The report calls for a ‘National Climate Damage Register’ to be established to monitor and record the economic, social and environmental impacts of extreme weather events.
To support the changes required the Council said that government must ensure that the funding and necessary supports are in place, underpinned by appropriate legislation, to sustain and improve the national climate observing system.
It warned that Ireland must be much better prepared for the next major weather event, with improved monitoring of climate events and their impacts required to radically improve preparedness for rapidly emerging extreme weather events.
