Comments on: Global Warming Destroying Dublin’s Infrastructure

By: Alan Chappell

Alan Chappell — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:07:34 +0000

Living in Italy, ( no green politicians, they got kicked out ) we have a city that is called Venice, (you heard of it ? ) which is at times flooded by the sea, first records of flooding in the 1300 year old city were nearly 1,000 years ago, the Acqua Alta (high tide) being the only recorded cause for the cities flooding, +85cm will bring water into St Mark’s Square through the storm drains, with exceptionally high tides (100cm + ) up to 15% of the city will be affected. In 1966 the worst recorded flood, 1.94cm. Today it’s business as usual, and water levels are not changing even with the extra weight of millions of tourists.

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:11:15 +0000

Much of Dublin city center and dock lands were once an estuary which has since been built up and is not much above sea level. If a very high tide and storm surge occurred together it could cause flooding but i am not aware of that ever happening. Cant imagine how that would effect o Connell bridge though. Anyway if sea levels were to rise Dublin could construct a barrier like London. In Ireland Cork city is far more vulnerable so its good that sea levels are going nowhere in the real world.
I live on the south coast of Ireland where you can see the full effect of the ocean. Despite being quite far north it has not snowed here in almost two decades. In the 1960s 70s 80s there was some snow and frequent frost. If the theory that ocean currents go in cycles of 2 or 3 decades is correct then it should be getting colder in a few years.
We are having a very wet summer here, same thing happened 50 years ago.

By: Matt F.

Matt F. — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 02:15:01 +0000

As has been suggested, it would only be a matter of time before cooling events would be blamed on AGW:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24275400-2,00.html

By: old construction worker

old construction worker — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:52:04 +0000

David Corcoran (14:37:09
perhaps they’re now blaming the falling sea level in recent years on global warming?
Why not, they are blaming snow on global warming.

By: David Corcoran

David Corcoran — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:37:09 +0000

Since global cooling is also now being blamed on carbon (see Big chill a symptom of climate chaos)... perhaps they're now blaming the falling sea level in recent years on global warming?

By: GP

GP — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:18:16 +0000

Ever been on one of those training courses where you have to pass a message down a conduit of people to see what comes out at the other end only to discover that within four re-tellings the message is changed to complete garbage?

This seems to be an example.

Here is the quote form the Irish Independent newspaper:

” Mr Cassidy, who makes up the NCHG with former Dublin mayor Maurice Ahern, MEP Eoin Ryan and TDs Joe Costello and Chris Andrews, said authorities were ignoring the impact of rising water levels.

“The water is hitting the bridge at high tide. It should not be hitting the bridge, it should be going under it,” he said.

“It looks like they are closing their eyes to global warming and flood risks.” ”

So you’re a conservationist (and Solicitor) and you want to make as many links as possible to give yourself the maximum opportunities to make a comment. You’re commenting on water levels and looking ahead a few decades. Everything is fair game.

This results in the headline

“O’Connell Bridge ‘is falling down due to global warming’ “.

Tenuous at best based on the article.

The story gets picked up in Belfast (possibly on the basis of the Dublin article) and becomes as quoted at the top of the post: (quoted again as a reminder to save going back to look.)

“Concerns are being expressed about the future of Dublin’s O’Connell Bridge.

An independent expert has been called in to examine the landmark over fears it is falling apart because of global warming.

Dublin City Council insists the bridge is structurally sound after routine repairs last week.

The National Conservation and Heritage Group believe higher tides caused by climate change are eroding the bridge’s structure and may have dangerously weakened its foundations.”

Two more interpretive story hops and we should be seeing reports of Eire sinking beneath the waves – except for Bono who will have built an Ark and will be sailing it to Africa in an attempt to save Kilimanjaro.

By: Rod Gill

Rod Gill — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:10:47 +0000

There is an 18 year moon cycle in its orbit that takes it from wobbling 18 degrees north and south of the equator to 23 degrees north and south of the equator. Last year saw the moon reach the “standing point” of 23 degrees north and south.
In Ireland when the moon is 23 deg North of the equator (every 28 days) it’s higher overhead and closer physically, so the gravitational force that creates the sea’s tides is greater and you get King tides.
So yes, the tides have been rising for the last 9 years (to 2007) but will now recede for 9 years!
Proof of this can be seen by looking at tide tables for last year, 1998 and 1989 as this lunar “wobble” is all included in calculations for tidal heights and times.
Then of course there is the question of whether or not the land is sinking relative to the sea or not.

By: GP

GP — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:01:29 +0000

Hmm.

Reading the Irish Independent article more-than-somewhat suggests the headline writer has taken an opportunity to quote out of context. In fact maybe the ‘quote’ is made up from other comments.

It would be interesting to understand his or her motive for so doing.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:30:17 +0000

As someone living in Ireland I can confirm that the political establishment (includes small Irish Green party in government) has been pushing the “Climate Change ” agenda very strongly over last year or so. Taxpayers money has been channelled into TV advertising campaigns to learn about your carbon footprint; websites such as http://www.change.ie (check out the “facts page”); Research organisations such as Icarus (http://icarus.nuim.ie/) which seems to be populated by Geography Post Grads (Last time I was in College – Geography was in the Arts Department but these guys are now our futurology experts); To offset your carbon footprint you can buy carbon indulgences from http://www.gco2.ie. Then you have got http://www.stopclimatechaos.ie – which has coralled the charity/NGOs (who also receive large Gov cheques) into an umbrella group to worry about the third world….The thing is we have had one of coolest, wettest summers on record but their predictions are for drier/sunnier summers (in east/south of country); But fear not – a guy from Met office said on radio that the heavy local downpours were consistent with the climate change models…I just wonder what sort of summer if any would not be consistent with the models.

By: Richard deSousa

Richard deSousa — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 20:06:42 +0000

Uncivil Servant:

Steve McIntyre’s already given Mann’s latest climate gymnastics a thumbs down.

http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=3501
http://www.climateaudit.org/?p=3504

By: Steve Berry

Steve Berry — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 18:42:36 +0000

Rising seas around British coasts? Treat with some suspicion. Here in the UK we are treated to climate propaganda by the BBC on almost a daily basis. One of the things that is often trotted out is the number of times that London’s Thames Barrier has had to be shut because of “rising seas threatening London”. This is used as a gauge of “rapidly rising sea levels” for global warming. Hmm, only thing is what they DON’T tell you. The Thames River Barrier is now subject to different operating rules, and is often closed to retain water in the Thames River. This has the effect of greatly increasing the number of times that it’s closed compared to once or twice a year when it was first constructed in 1982. Also, it’s been reported that it is sometimes closed as a matter of routine checking. But again, these closures are all recorded as actual closures. The Environment Agency that monitors this barrier have tried to separate the figures, but only came up with differing sets of numbers to different enquiries! What a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive? (Sir Walter Scott)

By: Ric Werme

Ric Werme — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:23:07 +0000

Mike86 (08:27:24) :

Curiously, nothing about the recent Alaskan volcanoes. May have been too recent for publication.

I think the eruption started a week or so before, but it hadn’t made it made it into the press, the first I heard of it was here. The SN article came out the same day as Anthony’s post.

BTW, I sent SN a note last night suggesting it’s time for a new article on the sun and mentioned the spotless month (as we understand it) & the Livingston/Penn observations.

By: Ellie Groom

Ellie Groom — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:07:05 +0000

Not a one-man-band:
“Damien Cassidy, a solicitor and NCHG chairman, said he noticed a fracture after council officials completed restoration of a balustrade and several pillars last week.” …… “Mr Cassidy, who makes up the NCHG with former Dublin mayor Maurice Ahern, MEP Eoin Ryan and TDs Joe Costello and Chris Andrews, said authorities were ignoring the impact of rising water levels.”

Full story in Monday’s Irish Independent:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/oconnell-bridge-is-falling-down-due-to-global-warming-1466723.html

By: DAV

DAV — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:07:51 +0000

I tried searching for the National Conservation and Heritage Group (NCHG) website and could not find it.

I found a link to someone asking the same question dated Jan 2008 under architectural planning. Not really sure if the question was answered. However a post by Lotts on 29 JAN 9:17 AM (6th post) yielded the name Damien Cassidy. I found the following document from the (Irish?) National Roads Authority with the name and address and an objection on page 8,

http://www.nra.ie/PublicPrivatePartnership/TollingDocumentation/file,14180,en.doc

Mr. Damien Cassidy
The National Conservation and Heritage Group
26 Westmoreland Street
Dublin 2

Also found this article and quote:

http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2007/03/25/story22033.asp

The secretary of the National Conservation and Heritage Group, Damien Cassidy, wrote that he supported the conservation area initiative for Grafton Street and ‘‘would further urge that the council might consider other areas of the city for similar conservation and in particularly that a policy be initiated for the preservation of heritage, churches, schools, convents, open spaces and architectural properties throughout the city’’.

I think poster Lotts may have it right that this is a one person army. damien Cassidy seems to be the only spokesman for the group.

Bit short on time today. I’ll see what I can do later,

HTH

By: Brian J

Brian J — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:07:40 +0000

I find it extraordinary that several news organizations picked up this unsubstantiated solo drivel and previously ignored the Nongovermental International Panel on Climate Change (NIPCC) report.

By: Uncivil Servant

Uncivil Servant — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:06:24 +0000

And another one: Scenarios for possible climate changes in Germany to the year 2100. It's a Google translation, so it's a bit rough.

By: Uncivil Servant

Uncivil Servant — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:59:02 +0000

I know this is off-topic, but it's certainly worth a mention : Climate 'hockey stick' is revived

By: Gary Gulrud

Gary Gulrud — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:58:22 +0000

Oh, just another bridge. Gosh, what a relief.

Thought some irreparable harm had come to Guinness. Like its yeast cultures had mutated, or something.

Rascally headline grabber.

By: L Nettles

L Nettles — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:57:15 +0000

Are we sure the suddenly acidified ocean isn’t eating away the foundations?

By: dipole

dipole — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:52:38 +0000

The Irish are well-known for telling tall tales.

Sometimes I wonder how many of these AGW stories get a run when some over-earnest young journalist gets his or her leg pulled.

According to the excellent Numberwatch:

http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm

the Minneapolis bridge collapse was also blamed on global warming.