Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy

A central challenge in furthering sustainable development is mitigating and adapting to climate change, whilst improving air quality. This includes the need to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and to respond to the impacts brought about by climate change. A key pledge of the Executive is 'to continue to work towards a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 35% on 1990 levels by 2025'. Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to the changes in our climate and planning how to prepare for the future. Adaptation also means seeking out ways in which opportunities arising from potential climate changes can be exploited. In January 2014 'A Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme' was published. This document sets out the strategic objectives, proposals and policies by which each department will contribute to this adaptation programme. The development and publication of the SPPS (2015) fulfilled a commitment in the Adaptation Programme to identify and implement opportunities to build resilience into the built and natural environment and to develop and implement sustainable strategies to explore, address and manage significant flood risk.