EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Climate Change Climate change has a wide range of direct and indirect impacts on physical health, as well as psychological and wellbeing effects. There has been a considerably rise in ‘eco-anxiety’ among the public because of the magnitude of this issue. Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the health of our society. Without action, climate change will undoubtedly have profound and wide-ranging impacts on human health and wellbeing and has the potential to challenge the substantial health gains we have achieved over recent decades (EASAC, 2019). Climate change can have direct impacts on health through physiological effects and injuries or death due to severe weather extremes such as heat waves, cold snaps, flooding, storms and increases in UV radiation levels affecting the occurrence of skin cancers. Indirect effects of climate change brought about by ecological changes can result in the spread of vector- borne and climate-sensitive infectious diseases, cause food and water insecurity, enhance the effects of aeroallergens (such as pollen and mould spores), increase the adverse impact of air pollutants and reduce air quality and cause population displacement (WHO, 2018). In addition to the physical health impacts, climate change is already having profound impacts on psychological wellbeing and mental health (Hayes et al. , 2018). These effects are particularly felt by those living in ecologically sensitive areas such as those prone to flooding. However, there is now also a recognised rise in ‘eco-anxiety’ among the general public, brought about by a sense of despair and distress around the scale and magnitude of the threat we face. ‘The impact of climate change will be felt by every individual, household, and community across Ireland . ’ – Climate Action Plan, 2019 The 2018 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on global warming of 1.5°C (IPCC, 2018) highlighted that global warming is likely to reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels between 2030 and 2052, should temperature continue to rise at its current rate. There is considerable confidence that there will be a wide range of negative health consequences associated with such a rise in temperature, which could disproportionately affect vulnerable and disadvantaged populations (Ebi et al., 2018). The 2015 Paris Agreement, which is frequently cited as potentially the strongest health agreement of this century, makes the ‘right to health’ a fundamental principle guiding action on climate change and sustainable development (WHO, 2018). In addition to direct effects there are indirect health effects of climate disruption. Research by Flood et al. (2020) identifies that the likely future impacts of climate change in Ireland in terms of physical changes relate to temperature, precipitation and sea level rise, with the most prominent risks associated with projected increases in extreme weather conditions and an increased likelihood of river and coastal flooding. This research undertook a preliminary economic assessment of the potential impacts of climate disruption and has highlighted those risks with the potential to cause substantial disruptions to economic activity. These include the costs of disruptions to essential services including threats to critical infrastructure that supports health such as drinking water supply and treatment, and waste water treatment, and power supply. From a national perspective, the government’s National Adaptation Framework 2040 requires the preparation of sectoral adaptation plans, including a plan for the health sector. 7 The current plan will focus on a number of climate scenarios with profound health implications, namely increased exposure to UV radiation and the sun, worsening air pollution and severe weather events. Moreover, the government’s Climate Action Plan, 8 launched in 2019, sets ambitious targets to achieve Ireland’s, and the EU’s, ambition to reach climate neutrality by 2050. On an individual basis, there is much that can be achieved in our own households to help to combat climate change. These actions may also have a multitude of co-benefits for our health and wellbeing and for the wider environment. Simple actions include leaving cars at home and walking, cycling or taking public transport, considerably reducing the amount of food waste we generate by planning our meals and buying only what we need, consuming a more balanced diet rich in plant-based foods and eating less red and processed meats, as well as using cleaner fuels for home heating and improving the overall energy efficiency of our homes to reduce the need for heating. 7 https://assets.gov.ie/38322/fd5750277357421cb2472687e9b33d8f.pdf 8 https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/ccb2e0-the-climate-action- plan-2019/ 376