MILLIONS of euros are being put towards improving beaches in Ireland and Wales as scientists warn climate change will lead to more extreme weather in the Irish Sea.
The €6.7million Irish-led project also hopes to boost tourism and help industries like shellfish harvesting.
The five-year Acclimatize project, led by University College Dublin (UCD) in partnership with Aberystwyth University, will identify how pollution and climate change is affecting water and weather patterns.
Researchers will also look at rainfall, temperature and tides, which all impact the quality of water in coastal areas.
UCD President Professor Andrew J. Deeks said: “The ability to sustain our environment, to use natural resources wisely and to manage waste is central to our society and economy.”
'At-risk' bathing waters include:
Dublin Bay (Sandymount, Merrion and Dollymount strands)
Wiseman’s Bridge (Pembrokeshire)
Newquay North and Aberystwyth South (Ceredigion, Aberdyfi (Gwynedd) and Rhyl (Denbighshire)
Professor Wim Meijer, Head, UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science is leading the Acclimatize project.
“Climate change is predicted to produce more weather extremes and, in particular, storminess in North West Europe including the Irish Sea," he said.
“Improvement of bathing waters is often complicated, or prevented altogether, by a lack of knowledge of the pollution streams that contribute to non-compliance.
"Climate proofing of regulatory and infrastructural decisions affecting bathing water quality is therefore a policy challenge urgently needing the policy evidence-base, which we will provide in the Acclimatize project.”
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