On St. Patrick's Day, the Pew Environment Group is releasing a report warning global warming could have devastating impacts on Ireland:The report by the Irish Climate Project finds that the average temperatures in Ireland increased by 0.72ºC (1.3ºF) during the last century, with a much greater increase since 1980 that is higher and faster than the global average. Using detailed climate models, the report projects temperature increases for Ireland that will exceed 2ºC (3.6ºF) in all seasons by the end of this century.“Despite the fact that Ireland is renowned for its steady rains, it is deeply ironic that we may face significant seasonal water shortages as a consequence of climate change,” said Dr. Rowan Fealy, one of the report’s authors.
The report spotlights the significant and highly visible changes climate change could bring to the Irish landscape, including how:
• the potato could cease to be a commercially viable crop;
• perennially green landscapes could brown as grasses dry;
• slight increases in summer heat could lead mountain bogs to be torn from bedrock more frequently, leaving scenes that evoke a California mudslide; and
• Ireland’s famed inland fisheries could decline.
Just another reminder that global warming isn't just about melting glaciers. No matter where you live, your backyard will feel the impacts.