Climate change could turn green to brown

IRELAND'S FABLED 40 shades of green are under threat and the island may end up with 40 shades of dull brown, according to a new report from the Irish-American Climate Project.

The project, a collaboration between Irish and American scientists, outlines the ecological impact of climate change on Ireland and describes how ecological changes may affect the Irish landscape and contemporary life in Ireland.

Describing how the rich green scenery may fade to brown, the report suggests that the potato "may again wither" and the island's classic soft rains may turn harsh.

Entitled Challenging Shades of Green, the report was published yesterday in Washington DC. It is timed to coincide with St Patrick's Day, when the authors hope the attention of the 80 million-strong Irish diaspora will be focused on the island.

Among the gloomy forecasts unless climate change is tackled are more frequent droughts and warmer, damper temperatures, which will lead to crop failure.

The full report is available at www.irishclimate.org

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times