Third Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme (NICCAP3)

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Summary

The third Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme (NICCAP3) has been developed as required by section 60 of the Climate Change Act 2008. It provides NI Executive Departments response to the climate risks which have been identified in the UK’s third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) and which fall within the devolved area of responsibility. It recognises the important role partnership working and collaboration plays in building a climate resilient Northern Ireland and as such also includes details of actions from Councils, Non-Government Organisations, Academia and other key stakeholders. NICCAP3 will undergo a mid-programme review to coincide with the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) obligation under section 48 of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (the 2022 Act) to provide an assessment of the progress made towards implementing the objectives, proposals and polices within the Programme. This will ensure NICCAP3 is a dynamic programme which is able to react to, and take account of, the latest policy and budgetary positions.

Introduction

Climate Change is widely accepted as the one of the greatest inter-generational issues of our time. As a result of human activities, global temperatures are rising and driving the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events ranging from storms and flooding to heatwaves and drought. These changes impact on all sectors and bring challenges to all levels of society. In Northern Ireland, we are seeing these increased, more frequent and extreme weather events causing damage, against a backdrop of hotter, drier summers, and warmer, wetter winters.

The challenge of climate change must be tackled on two fronts. It is imperative that we act to limit increases to global temperatures through the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions and the achievement of net zero. This is Climate Change Mitigation and is a challenge that requires collaborative effort across the globe where each nation plays its part.

The second key aspect of the climate challenge is that of Climate Change Adaptation, which recognises that historic emissions have already locked in climate impacts that we must now take action to adapt to so that our environment, society and economy are robust and resilient. We must however recognise that some actions will have both climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation benefits. For example, peatland restoration and afforestation both bring carbon sequestration benefits and flood alleviation benefits through increased water storage during periods of heavy rainfall and increasing the runoff lag time. Similarly, a diverse energy supply system with a mixture of renewable energy sources will both decarbonise our energy sector whilst also providing supply resilience during periods of low wind speed or reduced water flow.

NICCAP3 VISION

By working with partners across all aspects of Northern Ireland’s environment, economy and communities we will take action to build upon and strengthen our resilience to our changing climate as we work towards creating a Northern Ireland which is well adapted and resilient to both our current and projected future impacts of climate change to protect our environment, economy and communities for both our current and future generations.

Development of NICCAP 3

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) Adaptation Monitoring Framework sets out 13 thematic areas for climate risk and adaptation and allows for the climate risks and opportunities identified in the Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) to be contextualised within and across the 13 themes. The CCC have grouped these 13 themes into 5 key areas which will be impacted by our changing climate. For each of these key areas, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has undergone a co-design process with a range of key stakeholders to develop overarching strategic objectives designed to focus the intent of adaptation in each area. A summary of these objectives, key areas and themes can be found in Figure 1-11.

Figure 1-11 : Summary of NICCAP3 Key Areas, Objectives, and Thematic Area

Key Areas

NATURAL CAPITAL

The Climate Change Risk Assessment highlights that the majority of risks across natural capital and working land & seas require more action. Key systems under pressure include terrestrial, freshwater, marine, coastal, agricultural and forestry habitats, along with soils, natural carbon stores, and wider cross-border risk multipliers. Opportunities such as new species colonisation and alternative agricultural species are recognised but need further study, alongside landscape character and some marine changes. Only a few areas are less urgent: freshwater species colonisations can sustain current action, while aquifers and agricultural land exposed to sea level rise and saltwater intrusion are placed under a watching brief.

FOOD SECURITY

Food security is highly exposed to climate risks, with urgent action needed for agriculture, forestry, soils, marine and freshwater systems, food supply chains, and trade routes. Some opportunities, such as alternative crops, marine shifts, and new agricultural zones overseas, require further investigation or a watching brief to assess their viability. Only freshwater species colonisation is considered stable enough to sustain current action. Overall, climate impacts on food production, trade, and supply chains demand coordinated and urgent adaptation measures to secure long-term resilience.

INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES

The Climate Change Risk Assessment highlights that infrastructure services across water, energy, ICT, and transport are highly vulnerable to climate impacts, with most risks requiring more action. Cascading failures across interconnected networks, along with flooding from rivers, surface water and groundwater, are consistently flagged as urgent risks. Coastal flooding, erosion, subsidence, and the impacts of extreme weather events such as storms, high winds, lightning, and temperature extremes require further investigation, but already present challenges for resilience planning. Some risks, such as sea level rise and river flow changes for hydroelectric generation, are placed under a watching brief, while offshore infrastructure resilience is judged to be sufficient to sustain current action.

PEOPLE AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

People and the built environment are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, with urgent action needed to address health risks, flooding, extreme weather, and threats to cultural heritage, education, and critical infrastructure. While some areas – such as building resilience to sea level rise, managing energy demand, and protecting landscape character – require further investigation, only a few issues, including climate-related migration and some health opportunities, can be managed under a watching brief or current action. Overall, this theme highlights the interconnectedness of human wellbeing, buildings, and community services with infrastructure and climate pressures, underscoring the need for coordinated adaptation across multiple sectors.

DISRUPTION TO BUSINESS AND SUPPLY CHAINS

Businesses and supply chains face mounting climate risks, with urgent action needed to address flooding, coastal erosion, extreme weather disruptions, and food system vulnerabilities. Some risks, such as water scarcity impacts on production and shifting demand for goods, require further investigation, while a small number of areas – like expanded agricultural opportunities overseas and new trade routes – are placed under a watching brief. Finance and insurance systems are considered stable enough to sustain current action, but the overall picture highlights the urgent need for resilience planning across business sites, supply networks, and international trade.

Implementation, monitoring and evaluation

Implementation

In line with the requirements of the 2008 Act all Northern Ireland Executive Departments are responsible for the progression and delivery of policies and proposals for their respective risk areas of responsibility. The Adaptation Delivery Plan contained in Annex I of this Programme sets out specific action delivery leads and partners.

Monitoring

To assist with monitoring the progress of delivery of this Programme, the DAERA, with the support of the Climate Northern Ireland project (Climate NI), will lead on collating progress updates from action delivery owners on an annual basis. This information will be used to assist with ongoing internal monitoring of progress, in assisting the CCC in their statutory independent assessment of the Programme as required by the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (the 2022 Act), and in the DAERA undertaking an end of Programme evaluation for incorporation in NICCAP4.

To ensure that ongoing delivery of the Programme continues to be implemented and monitored across Departments the Green Growth Strategic Oversight Group, which comprises senior officials from all Departments, will provide the senior governance oversight for the Programme. In advance of Year 3 of the Programme a comprehensive mid-term review will be initiated by DAERA. The mid-term review, once completed, will be published on the DAERA website.

Evaluation

In line with the requirement of section 60 (3) of the Climate Change Act 2008 an assessment of progress made towards implementing the objectives, proposals and policies set out in this Programme will be included in NICCAP4. Whilst not a legal requirement under the 2008 Act a separate report which provides an end of programme delivery position, on the actions contained within the Adaptation Delivery Plan of
this Programme, will be published on the DAERA website within 6 months of this Programme’s 5-year lifespan being completed.

Suggested Citation

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. 2025. Public Consultation on the Draft Third Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme (NICCAP3). Belfast: DAERA. https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/consultations/public-consultation-draft-third-northern-ireland-climate-change-adaptation-programme-niccap3