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Dublin's Docklands at Risk of Severe Flooding by 2100

SPIN
SPIN

02:43 13 May 2022


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Floodwaters are forecast to reach 1.7 metres in height by the turn of the century.

Areas such as the Financial Services Centre, the North Wall and Sandymount could find themselves battling catastrophic floods in less than 80 years.

That's according to tech company Cervest, who study how climate change affects businesses around the world.

Unless rising sea levels are checked, Cervest forecasts damage to over 8,500 buildings in Dublin City alone.

Though the State encourages indivduals to make lifestyle changes to combat global warming, many experts believe climate catastrophe is unavoidable without industries and governments going completely green.

Independent Environmental Consultant Jack O'Sullivan says the people of Dublin can't make a difference to rising sea levels on their own.

"The responsibility is global. There's very little the individual can do, unless you get enough people out on the street that the Government have to listen," O'Sullivan said.

"Sea level rise is not happening because of what's happening here in Ireland. It's the result of the enourmous amount of greenhouse gases emitted by industry over the last 100 years."

Some of the businesses of Dublin's docklands are feeling helpless, worried that nothing they can do will prevent future flooding.

Darragh Doyle, Communications Lead with EPIC Irish Emigration Museum and CHQ, is worried about the future of the 200 year old building.

"There's an overwhelming need to have a conversation with Dublin City Council about climate change," he said.

"It's quite fightening to think such a large area of Dublin could be under water in 80 years. This city collapses when we get a couple of inches of snow, so two metres of water is going to have a huge impact on us."

"I don't think that raising buildings or building big walls around the docklands are a solution to the problem. The docklands is not just the IFSC and all of those businesses - there are so many families living here, so many homes and schools. This is a city wide issue that needs to be addressed."

"Are there any opportunities to do something about this, or do we start making plans to have a swimming pool?"

Though Cervest says a certain amount of future flooding is inevitable, all is not lost - with a major shift in global climate action, the docks will remain the docks for centuries to come.


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CHQ City Centre Environment Flood Flooding Global Warming Quays Sea Levels

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