Global warming will come more and more into our lives. It is a gradual process, but if, for example, the sea is going to rise over the decades by about a foot-and-a-half, where would this first be a problem - or has it already been? The Ards peninsula, low-lying and sandy for much of its sea-facing length? Dublin, parts of the coastline of Wicklow, Wexford and Waterford? And north from Dublin: Donabate and so on? The English magazine Country Life published a special report with the co-operation of named metereological, hydrological and local managerial officials, but with the south-east of England chiefly in view: the most densely populated area, and also important for the magazine's circulation! It looks forward to "a possible future of long, hot summers, spent enjoying alfresco lunches and locally-grown wine, and short, mild winters that promise lower heating bills." (Mark you, it's global warming, so what goes in south-eastern England cannot be so far from what we would get.)
The chief executive of Britain's Met Office writes: "Doing nothing is not an option. You may doubt some of the predictions and their likely impact, but I suggest that sensible analysis of the risks does not allow us to sit back and wait." The coastline is the first worry, not only with rising water but also more frequent storms and strong winds. Trees will be affected. Shallow-rooted beech trees, made weak by lack of water, are more vulnerable than ever to be tumbled over in a storm. Milder winters will favour, among others, it is said, Corsican and Scots pines. Hot summers will affect water supplies, so restrictions on watering gardens will be stiff. Get a couple of barrels to collect rain from the roof. Serious, too, will be a drop in river water, which will affect the dilution of sewage discharges into them. Farmers, of course, will have a major problem. So storage reservoirs become vital, and irrigation and timed spraying, such as is widespread in the South of France, for example, will be needed. Fewer cold snaps could mean more pests. And you may see us going over in a big way to the cultivation of sunflowers.
Houses must be built to be safe from high winds and intense rainfall, and yet well ventilated for the good summers. And, of course, designed to have low water requirements. So writes Michael Meacher, Secretary of State for the Environment. Offices will need to revise their air-conditioning or whatever. Take heart: some of this may be a long time coming. On the other hand, some of it is already with us, as people building near the shoreline have found.