Tourists and authors have often remarked on the allure and tragedy that coexist along Ireland’s coastal line, leaving them bewitched and moved. This contrast of stern and gentle impressions fascinated playwright JM Synge, who was drawn to the Aran Islands in 1898. His experiences there produced significant literature, which he described as oscillating between previous night’s despair and the current day’s magnificence, constantly altering between desolation and elation.
Now, the intrigue of Ireland’s coast resides through the comprehensive visual representation offered in RTÉ’s recent series, ‘Ireland’s Coast’. This was inspired by the University College Cork’s ‘The Coastal Atlas of Ireland’ released in 2021. The hefty atlas marks the large scale academic engagement in Ireland’s maritime history and coastal areas, stretching back to the age of Mesolithic when earliest settlers resided within coastal communities. From rich wildlife, maritime disasters, military forts, sacred sites to zones for arrival and departure and meal sources are all captured therein. Additionally, it provides details not only about biodiversity but also about the management of marine and coastal environment. The series and atlas also address climate change, not merely from a threatening perspective, but also in connection to its potential benefits, particularly with regards to energy production. The atlas highlights the urgency for preserving the coast and effective coastal engineering, due to areas of coast most likely facing harsh climate change.
Esteemed nature and biodiversity writer, the late Michael Viney, who penned his weekly column ‘Another Life’ from his home in Thallabawn, Co Mayo, was remarkably skilled in assessing nature and biodiversity. He was also attuned to the variations of empty talk and has criticised the Department of the Environment’s hollow attempts to boost their green reputation for a European audience during their EU presidency 20 years past. He criticized their seemingly profound sentiment laced with responsibility and wisdom to preserve life on Earth for future generations, stating “Biodiversity loss matters. It matters for ethical, emotional, environmental, and economic reasons.”
The collective ‘we’, when referring to the approach toward climate change policy, seemed somewhat woolly in its execution. Over the years, it became apparent that the policy was considered too bitter a pill to swallow, held at bay by the prevalence of localism and hyper-focus on the short-term within our political realm. One remembers 2012, when Comhar, coined as the ‘National Sustainable Development Partnership’ and founded in 1999, was briskly moved out of its place, assimilating into the National Economic and Social Council in the name of ‘streamlining’. The apparent necessity to reboot the economy overshadowed any consideration of the environment.
The untamed nature of our Wild Atlantic Way could potentially spiral out of control, one must think. Our unwavering devotion to Trump in Doonbeg exemplifies the lengths to which Ireland could go to secure US currency. The dissection of Irish history ranging from 1995-2020 by Diarmaid Ferriter offers an insightful journey through turbulent times. Sinn Féin’s housing policies seem to overlook the undeniable fact that climate change is already a pressing concern.
However, 2012 saw the formation of the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) and since then there has been a significant increase in the level of attention given to climate-related targets, plans and legislation. Despite this, the required urgency to address climate issues remains noticeably absent. We find ourselves mired in weeks of political horse-trading and a blinkered view of the future. Debating the appropriate use of the €14 billion due to Ireland as a result of the Apple case demonstrates how this perspective persists. The phrase ‘rainy-day funds’ is often voiced; considering the current rate of environmental upheaval, it’s time to interpret this literally. The forecasted course of our climate indicates that our worst maritime disasters could be in the future, not the past.
The recent publication of the CCAC’s 2024 report signposts the urgent need for steps towards prevention and preparedness. Delaying these essential actions could result in heightened long-term costs and disorder. The report signalises prominent coastal erosion, exacerbated by storms and excessive rainfall. It indicates that from the period spanning July 2023 through to June 2024, global surface temperatures were at minimum, 1.5 degrees warmer in comparison to pre-industrial times. The report suggests: “To adapt to climate change will necessitate substantial investment, yet it will proffer fiscal savings and multiple ancillary benefits in the long term. Plans for sectoral adaptation are central in bolstering resilience in our communities, our infrastructure and within nature, offering further advantages relating to water, soil and air quality. However, to present, these have not been sufficiently enacted, assessed or funded”. Significantly, the report underscores the associated costs: “Considering immediate impacts alone, the cost of coastal flooding (excluding erosion costs) without implementation of adaptive measures is predicted to amount to roughly €2 billion annually, by the year 2050″. The report additionally flags the “knock-on effects … the forces of evacuation from homes due to flooding impact, or other linked effects of flooding, such as drinking water contamination and subsequent effects on public health”.
When the Wild Atlantic Way was inaugurated a decade ago, it was hailed as an enticing opportunity to discover fauna, flora, rich culture and activities “on the brink”. However, the once-celebrated path of infinite possibilities now threatens to shift into a bleaker context, as untamed forces begin to reign supreme.