In recent years, increased attention is being paid to the importance of protecting offshore infrastructure from threats. Offshore energy and communications infrastructure, such as wind farms and subsea cables, are increasingly being viewed as targets by hybrid threat actors. Incidents such as the damage to the Balticconnector cable and Nordstream pipelines have heightened awareness of the threat to critical offshore infrastructure. In response, European states are increasing their cooperation to ensure that such infrastructure is secure. Against this backdrop, Ireland is drafting a National Maritime Security Strategy to consider how best to protect both existing, and planned future, infrastructure. In this panel discussion, experts will discuss the threats to critical offshore assets, and what we can do to better protect them from hybrid risks.

This event has been organised in conjunction with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ireland.

About the Speakers:

· Commodore Eduard de van der Schueren, Programme Director for the Protection of North Sea Infrastructure at the Dutch Ministry of Defence

· Vice Admiral (Ret.) Mark Mellett, Former Chief of Staff of the Irish Defence Forces

· Jacqui McCrum, Secretary General of the Department of Defence

· Dr Camino Kavanagh, Senior Fellow with the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and a Visiting Senior Fellow with the Dept. of War Studies, King’s College London.

Protecting Critical Offshore Infrastructure from Hybrid Threats

Ireland finally beat New Zealand in 2016.
With brilliant commentary from New Zealand TV and previous heartbreak from RTE Radio one and idiotic predictions from Second Captains.

Music: 
Wisdom from Brian Jonestown Massacre https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/tepid-peppermint-wonderland/id1056856909

And Wasting My Young Years by London Grammar
https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/if-you-wait-deluxe-version/id675018027

"Drops it off to Henshaw!" - Ireland Beat The All-Blacks

Tackling climate change is one of the main challenges of the 21st century. Last November the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warned that we have just 12 years left for effective action to be taken against rising temperatures.

Over the past decade the European Union has led action for climate targets among Member States. In 2015, under the landmark Paris Climate Agreement, the EU committed to reducing emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.

While some EU member states have made significant progress in meeting their targets, others including Ireland, are lagging behind in meeting these commitments. Meeting these targets will require ambitious action by Member States to reduce emissions in key economic sectors. The agricultural sector is one of Ireland’s most important industries, yet it accounts for over 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, making it the single largest contributor to Ireland’s total emissions. There is an urgent need to reconcile the need for urgent climate action and the need to protect the agricultural sector’s competitiveness and the livelihoods that depend on it.

Political leaders and policymakers have to find solutions to this challenge now. This is not a challenge faced by Ireland alone. Across Europe, policymakers and politicians are looking for solutions. In France, the Yellow Vest protests were initially sparked by increased carbon taxes. Clearly, a considered but effective approach to climate action is required to ensure a just transition and minimal economic and social disruption.

This event is part of the IIEA’s Future of the EU27 Project, supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Event Chair: Niall Delaney, Presenter, Ocean FM
Audience Q&A Begins at: 36:36

Speakers:

· Marian Harkin, outgoing MEP for the Midlands/North West Constituency;

· Martin Kenny TD, Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food & the Marine;

· Thomas Cooney, Chairman of the IFA National Environment Committee

· Dr Pippa Hackett, Green Party Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry, Heritage & Animal Welfare.

Climate Change and the Future of Agriculture: A Debate on the Future of Europe

Sharing Ideas Shaping Policy. The Institute of International and European Affairs is an independent policy research think-tank based in Dublin.

Protecting Critical Offshore Infrastructure from Hybrid Threats

IIEA

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