Kerry's Skellig Michael at risk of damage due to climate change, report warns

National Geographic Society report says Great Skellig island is likely to suffer damage from rising seas, more rainfall and warmer oceans, erosion and habitat damage, harming the 6th-century monastic structures, as well as bird life

Comparison with a study from 10 years ago showed several of the impacts predicted from climate change have increased at the site, including rock fall, erosion and access issues. Picture: Gemma Tipton

A report on the potential impact of climate change on Skellig Michael off the coast of Kerry warns of deterioration of built structures as well as impacts on birdlife and on tourism.

The Kerry Unesco World Heritage site — and site of a Star Wars film — is one of 10 international sites and the only Irish site to be examined under the National Geographic Society's Preserving Legacies Project.