Executive Summary

Executive Summary 

This Cork City Climate Change Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024 is a response to the impact that climate change is already causing and will continue to cause into the foreseeable future on the citizens and infrastructure of Cork city. Cork City Council is committed to leading the way in dealing with this recognised global issue at the local level. The two main goals of this strategy are:

• To make Cork city as climate-resilient as possible, reducing the impacts of current and future climate change-related conditions and events; and
• To pro-actively engage with all citizens on the subject of climate action, such as climate change, climate adaptation and climate mitigation.
   
  This strategy sets out 55 adaptation action items, grouped into appropriate objective areas, across the following seven key thematic areas that are of equal priority:

1. Local Adaptation Governance and Business Operations;
2. Infrastructure and Built Environment;
3. Land Use and Development;
4. Drainage, Water and Flood Management;
5. Nature, Natural Resources and Cultural Infrastructure;
6. Citizen Safety, Health and Wellbeing; and
7. Partnerships with other Sectors and Agencies.

These adaptation actions are Cork City Council’s template for the future development of climate change resilience, improving our understanding of climate disruption and allowing us to respond appropriately. Cork City Council will build on past and current climate mitigation actions and progress and enhance early stage adaptation measures.  This draft climate change adaptation strategy will assist in the development of future City Development and Local Area Plans.  It is proposed to set up appropriate oversight structures involving the elected representatives of Cork City Council, the Council’s management team and project teams to implement specific initiatives as appropriate.  Key performance indicators will be established and used to monitor progress and evaluate the effectiveness of the adaptation actions, with the realisation that climate change is a dynamic process. Cork City Council will use all available communication platforms to build awareness of the challenges faced from climate disruption, and involve all relevant stakeholders in encouraging greater participation and behavioural change to tackle what has been described as the greatest environmental threat to our current way of life on planet Earth.

Submissions should be made before 5pm on 13^th September, 2019 by:

Email: climateaction@corkcity.ie

Online Portal consult.corkcity.ie

Write to: Climate Change Adaptation Strategy,

Strategic & Economic Development,

Cork City Council, City Hall, Cork T12 T997