The EPA’s Climate Change Research Programme (click here) carries out relevant and up to date studies on climate change in Ireland. Analysis of the meteorological records shows that Ireland’s climate is changing in line with global patterns.
Temperature Trend
The clearest trend is evident in the temperature records which show a mean temperature increase of 0.7o C between 1890 and 2008, i.e. an increase of 0.06o C per decade. The increase was 0.4o C during the period 1980-2008, i.e. equivalent to 0.14o C per decade.
Ocean Acidification
In more recent years, another significant issue has emerged. Ocean Acidification will have harmful effects on marine organisms and has the potential to disrupt global marine ecosystems. For more information see the Marine Institute's report "Ocean Acidification: An Emerging Threat to our Marine Environment."
Future Adverse Impacts
Climate change impacts are projected to increase in the coming decades and during the rest of this century. Uncertainties remain in relation to the scale and extent of these impacts, particularly during the second half of the century. The greatest uncertainly lies in how effective global actions will be in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Predicted adverse impacts include:
- sea level rise,
- more intense storms and rainfall events,
- increased likelihood and magnitude of river and coastal flooding and
- water shortages in summer in the east
- adverse impacts on water quality
- changes in distribution of plant and animal species
- effects on fisheries sensitive to changes in temperature
