Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

235 Chapter 9: The Marine Environment Projected increases in sea level and storm surges will result in an increased frequency of coastal flooding and erosion, with significant impacts on coastal settlements, communities and infrastructure. Coastal adaptation responses can include protection (e.g. hard engineering or nature-based solutions), accommodation (adapting to the risks) or managed retreat (Farrell et al., 2023; EPA, 2023b). The Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan for Flood Risk Management 2019-2024 (OPW, 2019), prepared under the National Adaptation Framework, sets out actions to ensure that the potential impacts of climate change on flooding and flood risk are effectively managed. The establishment by government of an interdepartmental group to consider the scoping of a National Coastal Change Management Strategy recognised that there are current and urgent coastal change issues to be addressed in parallel to the implementation of a medium- to long-term framework. This group was tasked with scoping out an approach for the development of an integrated, whole-of-government strategy for managing our changing coast. Its report included 15 recommendations for enhancing governance and capacity building, growing the evidence base and developing management options (DHLGH and OPW, 2023). The Biodiversity Climate Change Sectoral Adaptation Plan (DCHG, 2019) and the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NPWS, 2024) also include actions relevant to the effects of climate change on the marine environment. Protection of designated areas and species is a key adaptation measure that addresses biodiversity loss and facilitates building ecosystem resilience to climate change and ocean acidification. Good data and scientific information are critical to adaptation and planning. Sustained observations of oceanographic, biogeochemical and biological essential ocean variables (Nolan et al. , 2021), in line with international best practice for climate monitoring, are essential to support policy development and are included in the Climate Action Plan. The deployment of new infrastructure and participation in international networks and programmes (such as GO-SHIP, Argo and ICOS) have enhanced national observing capabilities (Cámaro García and Dwyer, 2021; Nolan et al. , 2021, 2023). In recognition of its importance, the OSPAR Commission features climate change and ocean acidification as one of four themes in its North-East Atlantic Environment Strategy 2030 (OSPAR, 2021a), with agreed strategic objectives for monitoring and assessment, awareness, mitigation and adaptation.