The Irish Times

20 Merrion Square

The most serious threat to Georgian Dublin is that rising sea levels as a result of global warming will ultimately reclaim the land on which the city's 18th century streets and squares were built, a conference heard at the weekend. Ian Lumley, heritage officer of An Taisce, said this "mounting and overwhelming threat" - accelerated by melting solar ice-caps - was potentially catastrophic for Dublin, as well as more immediately for Amsterdam and Venice. "Unlike the medieval centre running along the ridge between between Christ Church and High Street, much of the Georgian city is built on land reclaimed from the sea, as tidal waters ran close to Merrion Square until the 18th century". Though there was no scientific consensus on the levels or timeframes for a major rise in sea levels, Mr Lumley said the threat to Dublin and other coastal cities should have put Ireland at the forefront in pressing for international action on climate change.