b'5Assessing Current Baseline5.1Introduction Assessing the baseline provides for an understandingA publication by The EPA entitled Summary of the of how well adapted Kildare County Council is to State of Knowledge on Climate Change Impacts for current climate hazards which include extreme Ireland 2017, advises that research at national level weather events and periods of climate variability.has shown that changes in Irelands climate are in line This process is a crucially important first step inwith global trends. Even if greenhouse gas emissions developing an adaptation strategy that is relevant andfall tolevelsrequiredtostop the worstimpacts of responds specifically to the impacts of climate changeclimate changesome changes are still likely to occur. experienced locally. This assessment takes account ofThis is because theclimate system is slow to react and a range of climate hazards that have affected Kildaresomechanges are already locked in. County Council in the past specifically in respect of local level vulnerability and the impacts and For Ireland, climate change impactsare expected to consequences for the delivery of services and increaseover the coming decades and could include functions across the county.the following:While past and recent experiences of climate hazardsSea level risemay not entirely be representative of the longer termMore intense storms and rainfall eventsclimate reality, it is a useful starting point in the as- Increased likelihood and magnitude of river sessment of impacts on local authority services whichand coastal floodingcan further be examined in the context of the Water shortages in summer identification of future risk. Conducting this Increased risk of new pests and diseasesassessment will illustrate Kildare County CouncilsAdverse impacts on water quality andcapacity to cope with existing extreme weather eventsChanges in distribution and phenology (the timing and periods of climate variability and identify theof lifecycle events) of plant and animal species onresilience of key services.land and in the oceans.105.2Observed Climate HazardsWarming of the climateis happening and it isextremely likely that man has been the main causeof global warming since the mid-20th century.Observations show that global average temperatures have increased by 0.85 0 c since 1850. 9Theatmosphere and oceans are warming; sea levels are rising while there has also been a decline in snow and ice. The impactscan be seenon all continents. 9 9 IPCC, 201310Authors: Margaret Desmond, Phillip OBrien and Frank McGovern33'