Week 13 Coastal Hazards


 Irelands Coastal Hazards 

    Ireland is a small island country facing challenges due to environmental changes and human influences. With a very long shoreline of more than 4,660 miles, Ireland is seriously exposed to the consequences of climate change through erosion, sea level rise, and increased extremes in flooding in coastal areas. These changes threaten natural landscapes and affect local communities, ecosystems, and economic stability, especially when important sectors are concerned, such as tourism, fishing, and real estate.



One of the most urgent concerns is shoreline erosion, which is already beginning to permanently affect parts of the Irish coastline. Atlantic storms, powered by rising sea levels, have been eroding cliffs, beaches, and dunes. 


    In places, like County Clare's coastline and North Bull Island in Dublin, it keeps getting worse. Shorelines are being set further and further back at increasing rates. As the shoreline continues to wear away, so do the native species of Ireland. This takes on even greater importance regarding occurrences such as sand dunes, which form natural barriers in storms and flooding. Their decay puts local wildlife in danger and opens up inland areas to storm surges. Another significant challenge is the sea level rise, very likely to affect Ireland over the next few decades. Polar ice is melting because of global warming, and seawater is expanding, forcing sea levels up worldwide. In Ireland, a possible rise of 0.5 to 1 meter until 2100 may cause flooding of low-lying areas along the coast, including parts of Dublin and Cork. In addition to the direct impact of sea level rise on homes and businesses, higher sea levels impose an increased risk of saltwater intrusion that will impact both freshwater resources and agricultural land near the coast.


     Considering these imperative challenges, Ireland needs to implement shoreline management policies. Policies that will assure sustainable development of the coast, reinforced defenses, and habitat restoration will be necessary for mitigation. Moreover, investment in research and conserving locally can assist these communities in adapting and guarding shorelines for the future. In fact, the battle for Ireland's coastlines encompasses the conservation of cultural heritage, ecosystems, and life in coastal communities, in a world of rapid change.

Sources:

https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/programmes-and-projects/marine-and-coastal-unit/projects/Pages/Coastal-Vulnerability-Index.aspx

https://www.gsi.ie/en-ie/programmes-and-projects/marine-and-coastal-unit/projects/Pages/National-Coastal-Change-Assessment.aspx

https://www.epa.ie/environment-and-you/climate-change/what-impact-will-climate-change-have-for-ireland/

Report of the Inter-Departmental

Group on National Coastal Change

Management Strategy



Comments

  1. Rey AvilaNovember 17, 2024 at 5:37 PM

    Hi Nolan, I would imagine Ireland would be at great risk of rising sea levels and coastal erosion because of its geographic location. This post was very detailed and I learned a lot about the struggles the country has with its coastlines.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Monique.GNovember 17, 2024 at 11:15 PM

    Hi Nolan,
    I enjoyed reading your blog and learning more about the coastal hazards in Ireland. I found it interesting that Ireland consists of a shoreline over 4,660 miles long. I found it interesting that Ireland also faces severe erosion due to climate change. I really liked the photos you chose to show the different erosion changes in Ireland. My country is Russia and similar to Ireland also faces erosion due to ice melting (permafrost in Russia) with the vast changes of climate change this become very worrisome that it is arising all over the globe. Great blog, thank you!

    ReplyDelete

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