Whitaker Institute member Dr Tom McDermott, of the Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit, has a new piece on RTÉ Brainstorm. The article explores rising sea levels and increased flood risk due to climate change.

How can we deal with rising sea levels and increased flood risk?

Is this a post-flooding future for Dublin?

Opinion: delivering timely local adaptation to climate risk will help to minimise the costs of future flooding in Ireland and elsewhere

Climate change has often been characterised as the central public policy issue of our time. It is now regularly framed, both by activists and governments, in terms of a crisis or emergency. But global policy action in tackling this crisis appears faltering at best, as evidenced by the apparent lack of progress at the recent UN Climate summit in Madrid.

A prerequisite for more concerted efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions is a better understanding of the economic and social consequences of a changing climate. Better information on future risks and expected costs is also required to implement efficient local adaptation policies. Without this, current patterns and forms of economic development risk locking in greater future vulnerability to a changing climate. Continue reading…