Coastal infrastructureIreland increasingly worried about effects of sea-level rise on coastal communities
In recent years, coastal authorities in Ireland have grown increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change on the Irish coastline. In the northern counties, up to 3.5 percent of the entire land area could be underwater, and low-lying cities of Cork, Dublin, Belfast, and Galway will find it almost impossible to defend against storm surges and sea level rise. Experts say it will cost at least €5 billion to protect Ireland’s most populated cities.
In recent years, coastal authorities in Ireland have grown increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change on the Irish coastline. It is estimated that 2 percent of Dublin will be underwater in the coming decades if sea level rise continues at its current pace. Dr. Barry Dwyer, an environmental scientist with the Coastal Marine Research Center (CMRC) at the Irish Naval Headquarters warns that storm surges mixed with rising sea levels makes Ireland’s coastal areas extremely vulnerable. In the northern counties, up to 3.5 percent of the entire land area could be underwater.
Sunday World reports that as part of the Eco Eye television series on the environment, Raidió Teilifís Éireann recently featured leading climate change experts. Professor Robert Devoy from the CMRC estimated that it will cost at least €5 billion to protect Ireland’s most populated cities. He warned that the low-lying cities of Cork, Dublin, Belfast, and Galway will find it almost impossible to defend against storm surges and sea level rise. “What is coming down the tracks is a significant warming of the planet. The last time it warmed of this order, 88 percent of life on earth disappeared,” he said, adding that society has yet to adopt environmental policies that will dramatically alter the effects of global warming. “Given the nature of politics being short-term, it’s the last thing on our politicians’ minds. I have five grandchildren. Whatever time is left to me it doesn’t matter, but for them at the age of four and five I can see we have significant problems to solve. We can’t wait any longer for reducing carbon emissions and making significant changes.”
Eco Eye presenter Duncan Stewart traveled to Iceland to show viewers evidence of glaciers melting across the planet and their contribution to sea level rise. The last decade has been the warmest on record and plants and animal species are becoming extinct at rates thousands of times faster than before. In 2014 NASA scientists revealed that a significant section of the west Antarctic ice shelf has broken off into the sea, which on its own will raise sea levels by an additional meter above current figures.
The Irish Committee on Climate Change proposes that all coastal regions of the country should adopt construction and planning policies that diminish their vulnerability to sea level rise. These policies include: no building or development within 100 meters of “soft” shorelines, no further reclamation of estuary land, no removal of sand dunes, beach sand or gravel, all coastal defense measures should be assessed for environmental impact, and careful consideration should be given to cost-benefit analysis, before “hard engineering” solutions are contemplated.
