The future won’t be all sunshine

FUTURE generations of Irish people may not have to go abroad for the sun, if predictions about climate changes in the 21st century are correct.

We’re told warmer, drier summers will increase the appeal of many Irish coastal resorts and of water-based and outdoor activities. Could we see a return to the days when miles of golden beaches washed by those white-fringed Atlantic breakers, like you’d see in the John Hinde postcards, will again be on the covers of Tourism Ireland brochures? Yes, but it won’t be all sunshine and some of our beaches, as well as archaeological gems along our coasts, could be undermined, or might even vanish, as the climate changes.

There’s also a warning from the Heritage Council of a serious impact on tourism-related activities, all of which calls for policy changes and action before it is too late. As the weather changes, sea levels will rise – by as much as a metre – and there will be stronger and more frequent storms.