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Rising sea 'a threat to Causeway' | Rising sea 'a threat to Causeway' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Rising sea levels and stormy weather may damage the Giant's Causeway and other coastal areas of Northern Ireland, the National Trust has warned. | |
A new Trust report says sea level rises of up to a metre this century will affect some of Northern Ireland's most important tourist and wildlife areas. | A new Trust report says sea level rises of up to a metre this century will affect some of Northern Ireland's most important tourist and wildlife areas. |
Areas such as Strangford Lough could also be badly affected, says the Trust. | |
The Giant's Causeway is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland, and is a World Heritage Site. | |
Predicted change | |
The National Trust report warned access to the site would become more difficult, with problems as early as 2020. | |
It also warned that rising sea levels in Strangford Lough could hit wildlife such as Brent geese and that the Murlough National Nature Reserve could see coastal erosion and flooding. | |
GIANT'S CAUSEWAY Made up of 40,000 interlocking basalt columnsCauseway is result of ancient volcanic eruptionlocated on the north-east coast of Northern IrelandThe 'discovery' of Causeway announced in a paper to the Royal Society in 1693 | |
Brent geese come each winter to graze the eel grass on Strangford's mud flats but the population could be seriously threatened by climate change. | |
It could be affected by a 25cm rise in sea levels by 2050, the Trust is warning. | |
The report, Shifting Shores: Living with a Changing Coastline, predicted sea level rises of between 85 and 100cm by 2100. | |
Hilary McGrady, National Trust director for Northern Ireland, said it was essential for more detailed coastal data. | |
"Our planning system, and in particular development plans and planning policy statements, must take predicted coastal change into account," she said. |