Climate change: Ireland’s Arctic call
It is timely that the two keynote speakers at Our Ocean Wealth Summit (Galway, June 28-29) are focusing on ‘Investing in Marine Ireland’ with a particular focus on ‘Climate Change and Sustainability’: the 7th President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, who has contributed so much to the international regulatory process of the United Nations, and Kathy Sullivan, Former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
This coincides with Ireland’s potential application to join the Arctic Council and follows the hosting in May of these states by the Irish Cultural Centre in London in their recent launch of the Arctic Shipping Best Practice Information Forum Web Portal, for the harmonised implementation of the UN’s Polar Code for Shipping.
At the London meeting, the Irish Ambassador to the UK, Adrian O’Neill, addressed the Arctic States to promote Ireland’s cause. The United States representatives were instrumental in this meeting and portal launch, two of whom work with NOAA; Capt Robert McCabe, Commissioner of Irish Lights also attended this meeting.
North horizon
Ireland’s focus in relation to climate change is constrained and side tracked by a constant vision in general towards the south east of Europe.
While we hugely value this relationship for so many reasons, there is another horizon to the north that we must also engage with as a matter of priority, to gain the critical knowledge needed to help make informed decisions about coastal erosion and flood defences, planning, agriculture, fisheries,and safety, all of which depend on local weather predictions.
We need the best information and we do not have that without speaking to our Arctic neighbours. Additionally, there are significant economic opportunities for Ireland in attending these meetings.
Established in 1996, the Arctic Council is the leading inter-governmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States on common Arctic issues, in particular sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.
The Arctic States are USA, Canada, Russia, Norway, Sweden, Denmark (Greenland), Finland, and Iceland.
The organisation is not a law-making body; however much of the consensus reached is pursued in national legislation, and in international forums.
The Arctic Council allows ‘Observer Member Status’ without a fee. States have joined for access to discussions and information about the effect of Arctic weather patterns on the lower latitudes, but also for access to discussions on economic collaboration.
There is also major focus in active Working Groups on monitoring the Arctic Environment, including ice melt, changing ocean flow and weather patterns.
The current Observers are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, China, Poland, India, South Korea, Republic of Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Gulf influence
Despite being such a close neighbour and indeed with natural historical links to the Arctic nations, Ireland is not a member. Yet, Ireland’s climate is critically dependent on the regulation of the Gulf Stream by the Arctic, along with the balance of the Jet Stream which are being discussed in depth in these Arctic Council Working Groups.
The Gulf Stream hits Ireland’s shores bringing warm water from the Gulf of Mexico and across the Atlantic. Ireland sits very high up in the world — higher than St John’s in Newfoundland Canada — yet when it is freezing in St John’s and at a similar latitude to Ireland’s in Siberia, it is moist and warm in Ireland with sub-tropical gardens on Garnish Island in Bantry Bay and more flora per square metre in the cracks and crevasses of the Burren than anywhere else on earth.
The Arctic acts like a refrigeration system: when the Gulf Stream has warmed Ireland, then Scotland, then northwest Norway it goes into the Arctic Circle and back down the Western Atlantic. By then, of course it is much colder, having intermingled with billions of tonnes of ice.
But due to record ice melt in the Arctic Circle, the Gulf Stream’s regulation is changing. As it returns south of Greenland it is less cold. Therefore, there is more evaporation and more rain, causing more turbulence as the meteorological balance in the mid-latitudes is affected. Due to ice depletion, the warmer seas in the north are also affecting the balance of the Jet Stream above Ireland.
So, we do not have time for ‘fire side chats’ on this issue. The best information about weather saves lives and a lot of money based on informed decisions. The good news is that An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney is heavily engaged on the issue. He understands the critical importance of climate information as well as the many other opportunities being an Observing Member will afford Ireland in other areas.
It is pleasing to see Ireland’s new National Climate Change Adoption Framework. Observing Member Status of the Arctic Council will majorly assist these objectives and will also demonstrate Ireland’s responsibility in helping to protect the world’s last frontier. Everyone must now row in behind Ireland’s Arctic Call.
London-based lawyer from Goleen, Co Cork and Special Advisor to the Arctic Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Working Group, working closely with the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).
