It’s being argued that climate change is no longer a distant prospect as its effects are plain to see here in County Clare.
With over 200 deaths reported in Spain in recent days due to excessive rainfall and subsequent flash-flooding, local voices are assessing this county’s preparedness for extreme weather events, should they happen here.
It’s the worst natural disaster to hit Spain in over a century.
Whole villages have been wiped out by flooding, infrastructure has been destroyed and at least 205 people have died.
The majority of the deceased are in the Valencia region which is the worst-affected area but the Mayor of Chiva in Eastern Spain has said this morning that many more may be found dead because of a large number of car crashes.
A red rain warning has been issued along the coast of Huelva, with locals advised to remain at home, while an additional 500 military personnel have joined the clean-up operation in Valencia.
Elly Nolan, who lives in Valencia but whose father is from Limerick, says the fallout has been nothing short of devastating.
The harrowing scenes in Spain come in a week when the International Disaster Database has issued a stark report on the recent effects of climate change.
Its new study claims human-caused climate change has intensified all of the ten most deadly extreme weather events of the past 20 years worldwide, contributing to more than 570,000 deaths.
According to the report, strengthening homes and flood defences, improving early warning systems, and protecting vulnerable people are among the actions needed to offset the effects of future extreme events.
Sixmilebridge-based Global Citizenship Education Coordinator with Global Action Plan Ireland, Alex Whyatt, believes it’s high time we started taking the prospect of environmental catastrophe seriously.
You can listen to the full interview here:
