Hard choices ahead as extreme weather shapes Co Clare’s response to climate change
Climate change results not only in changes in average temperature, but also changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather and climate events. As a coastal Atlantic county, Clare is particularly vulnerable.
Clare County Council climate action co-ordinator and senior engineer Morgan Lahiffe explained to the Irish Independent that storms are a huge problem for local coasts.
The council’s five-year Climate Action Plan, published in 2024, notes that Clare has seen a major increase in severe windstorms since the 1980s.
The council has, in recent years, implemented a number of measures to protect the ‘soft coast’ in areas like Lahinch and Spanish Point. It is “more challenging” to protect than the ‘hard coast’, which includes the Cliffs of Moher.
“These dune sand systems are getting damaged as time goes on and as storms can get worse,” Mr Lahiffe said. “So we need to ensure that these are delicately managed and that we look to like rebuild our sand dune system.”
New challenges are also expected ahead, as flooding and coastal erosion become emerging risks for the region.
Flood relief schemes are in the pipeline for a number of areas across the county, including Springfield, Kilkee and the town of Shannon, all of which have, historically, been badly affected by floods.
A car parked in Doolin survives strong winds and flying debris. Photo: Crispin Rodwell
Heatwaves and droughts, which are already being experienced in Co Clare, are expected to affect the county more frequently in the future.
The impact of heavy snowfall and cold spells on the county remains constant, but the overall risk from these hazards is likely to reduce in the future.
Greenhouse gas emission calculations from the report show that the three sectors in the county producing most emissions are agriculture (45pc), transport (20pc) and residential (16pc). This is broadly in line with national emissions data.
In Clare, 67pc of emissions from the residential sector are from hot water and space heating, 62pc of emissions from the agriculture sector are from cattle and 58pc of emissions from the transport sector are from passenger cars.
Clare County Council is committed to improving its energy efficiency by 50pc and reducing its emissions by 51pc by 2030, in line with national targets.
Between 2018 and 2022, Clare County Council has reduced its own emissions by approximately 1,190,500kg of CO2. A significant proportion of this reduction is due to public lighting upgrades.
“We have about 15,000 lights, and 70pc of roads have been retrofitted to LED, which represents an enormous drop in emissions,” Mr Lahiffe said.
“In the last 12 months, we have introduced hydrotreated vegetable oil to our fleet … All the Clare County Council heavy-duty lorries that you would see down the roads are now running on hydrotreated vegetable oil, which represents a 90pc reduction in carbon.”
The Loop Head peninsula has been designated as the county’s decarbonising zone. The area is considered to be an appropriate testbed for rural decarbonisation measures that could be adopted in other parts of the county.
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After receiving feedback from local stakeholders, the council said a number of actions are being considered for the area, including better infrastructure for active travel and improved public transport, supporting sustainability in agriculture, and developing renewable energy – primarily solar and offshore wind.
Active travel and sustainable tourism are also key goals the local council is working on. According to Mr Lahiffe, they are working on “a necklace of greenways” across Clare, as well as a €3m active travel project in Ennis.
“It brings better well-being to communities,” Mr Lahiffe said. “It also benefits the tourism sector and also gives people connectivity via a different mode of transport rather than the motor car.
“So we see greenways as a very important piece in the jigsaw for Co Clare.”
Talking about the increasing number of tourists in the county, he added: “We have to look at that and we have to see is the infrastructure right? Is it sustainable? Can it carry extra numbers going forward?
“So that's one thing in our Climate Action Plan we’ve talked about, looking at this to see how we can ensure our infrastructure can stand up to larger numbers going forward.”
Ultimately, Mr Lahiffe said, the council has “embraced” climate action, but he hopes for more investment from the government and “less challenging pathways through the planning system”.
He added that he believes more should be done in terms of investing in renewable energy. He described offshore wind energy as “a huge resource” for the county and potentially a “game-changer” for the west of Ireland.