Thurles Information

The Climate Change Advisory Council’s latest report finds that climate change, driven by greenhouse gases, is having measurable impacts in Ireland. There is clear evidence in 2025 of rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, with growing risks for communities, infrastructure, essential services and the economy.

The Council today launched Our Changing Climate 2025, the first publication in its Annual Review 2026 series, highlighting accelerating climate trends and the urgent need for Ireland to simultaneously reduce its dependency on fossil fuels and strengthen its preparedness for climate impacts. Our continued reliance on economically volatile imported fossil fuels leaves households, communities and businesses acutely vulnerable to shocks such as the current conflict in the Middle East. The Council has repeatedly stressed that there are viable alternatives which must be urgently pursued that would increase our economic resilience, reduce our dependency on the actions of others and simultaneously reduce our contributions to global warming.

The Council has identified gaps in how the economic, social and environmental consequences of extreme weather events are monitored, noting that robust data and evidence are essential to inform effective policy, planning and investment.

New attribution capabilities highlight the direct link between continuing greenhouse gas emissions and the weather we are experiencing today. Rainfall during Storm Claudia in November 2025 for example was made twice as likely and nearly 12% more intense than it would have been in a pre-industrial climate. This points directly to the impact of climate change on our weather patterns. Extreme conditions continued into 2026, with Storm Chandra bringing prolonged rainfall and severe flooding, as saturated ground conditions significantly increased flood risk.

The report also identifies impacts across natural systems, including shifts in the seasonal lifecycles of insects and wildlife, signalling broader ecological change. This can result in an increased risk of outbreaks of diseases such as ash dieback and avian influenza, invasive species such as the Asian Hornet, harmful algal blooms, and an increased risk of wildfires.

Key climate observations from the report include:

• 2025 was the second warmest year on record, with average summer temperatures 1.94°C above the 1961–1990 long-term average
• Seven of the ten warmest years have occurred since 2005.
• The meteorological autumn was the fourth wettest on record, and six of the ten wettest autumns have occurred since 2001, pointing to a clear trend of increasing rainfall.
• Ireland experienced record-breaking warm conditions in spring and summer, with Uisce Éireann declaring 49 water supplies in 15 counties to be in drought status.
• Ireland recorded its highest ever wind gust of 184km/h in January 2025
• A record high minimum temperature for any calendar month of 19.0°C was also recorded in June.
• Storm Éowyn, an event with record-breaking wind speeds, was the most expensive storm-related insurance event in Irish history with claims in excess of €301m. The storm exposed vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and essential services, including energy, water and telecommunications.
• Globally, the 10 most costly extreme weather events in 2025 caused damage exceeding €100bn.

The Council has emphasised that adaptation must now become a central national priority, particularly in strengthening flood resilience and critical infrastructure. Protecting people, infrastructure and the economy will require sustained investment in climate resilience, alongside coordinated policy and long-term planning.

The report warns that future risks will intensify without action, with continued warming and more frequent and severe extreme weather events expected. Delaying action will increase future costs, risks and disruption for society.

Prof. Mr Peter Thorne, Chair of the Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Advisory Council, said: “Climate change is no longer a future issue. Its damaging impacts are being felt across the environment, the economy and our communities. We are seeing clear evidence that a warming climate is leading to more frequent and severe extreme weather events.
Ireland remains underprepared for these impacts. We must shift from reacting to extreme weather events to anticipating and preparing for them. Effective adaptation measures that tangibly increase resilience are essential to protect people, our economy and our way of life.
This must be underpinned by better data, stronger infrastructure and sustained investment to ensure we are ready for the challenges ahead.
Improving our resilience must also go hand-in-hand with reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, not only to address climate change, but also to protect households and businesses from volatile energy costs and strengthen Ireland’s energy security in an increasingly uncertain global context.”

As part of the Annual Review series in 2025, the Council has called for coordinated Government action, including investment in climate monitoring and infrastructure systems, strengthened policy and legislative frameworks, and a systemic approach to improving national resilience.