Climate Services

Climate services assist government departments and local authorities to adapt to marine climate change. Climate change has the potential to impact our oceans and those who use and interact with it. We are hugely dependent socially and economically on our oceans. Our oceans are warming, becoming more acidic and sea levels are rising as a consequence of climate change. These changes can affect marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and important sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Ocean climate change has potentially far-reaching social and economic consequences.

The Marine Institute plays a central role in delivering ocean climate services to a range of stakeholders and sectors including fisheries, aquaculture, marine spatial planning, seafood health and tourism. Sustained, long-term, high-quality ocean data is essential to build long-term reliable datasets underpinning ocean climate services and climate assessment. The Marine Institute collects and analyses long-term observations of ocean temperature, sea level, salinity, carbon, and other environmental conditions to understand how Ireland’s marine environment is changing over time. These observations are translated into actionable insights that inform and support the development of national and local climate action and adaptation plans, ensuring policies are based on robust evidence and the best available science.

Provision of Climate Services is supported by a strong policy mandate, including the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act (2021). This act mandates different sectors of the economy and local authorities to produce plans to mitigate climate change (reduce emissions) and to adapt to our changing climate. By combining ocean observations, scientific expertise, and stakeholder engagement, our team provides trusted, evidence-based climate services that help Ireland prepare for a changing ocean. Key climate services provided by the Institute include monitoring marine heatwaves, developing ocean climate indicators and ocean climate projections, and conducting climate vulnerability assessments.