A new working paper warns that coastal flooding, erosion and sea-level rise are increasing risks for coastal communities across Ireland, including Kerry.
The report, commissioned by Ireland's Climate Change Advisory Council, says Ireland cannot rely solely on sea walls and other hard defences in the future.
It argues that some areas may eventually need planned relocation where protection is no longer viable.
The authors of the Managing Coastal Risks in Ireland report call for a national framework to help manage coastal risks and guide adaptation measures.
They recommend new legislation, planning guidance, detailed risk mapping and funding mechanisms.
The report also highlights the social impacts of coastal change.
These include effects on mental health, community ties, local economies and cultural identity.
Kerry County Council (KCC) is among local authorities carrying out coastal climate-action projects.
However, the report says none of the projects reviewed had an explicit focus on planned relocation.
They say further coastal erosion and retreat will disproportionately affect rural, lower-income, and regionally marginal or culturally distinctive coastal populations including Kerry.
The paper is a working document commissioned by the Climate Change Advisory Council and does not represent government policy.
