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Nobel expert: Global warming causing Irish floods, climate change

PATRICK REYNOLDS,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, November 27, 2009, 9:23 PM

Updated Friday, November 27, 2009, 10:44 PM

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800 year floods: Cars submerged in Cork after the River Lee burst its banks and flooded the city center

Ireland's massive flooding has almost certainly been the result of climate change, says Nobel Prize-winner and Ireland's leading climatologist, Prof. John Sweeney.

"We have reaped what we have sown," he said.

Devastating floods have swept large parts of the country. Areas of the south and west of Ireland have been under water in the worst flooding in 800 years, according to experts. Major rivers such as the Shannon and the River Lee have burst their banks and thousands have been evacuated.

Sweeney, of Maynooth College, was one of the climatologists who formed part of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and won the Nobel Prize in partnership with Al Gore in 2007 because of their warnings about climate change

He pointed out that, per capita, Ireland is one of the largest contributors to climate change, as the country has fa- greater greenhouse emissions than Germany, France and Britain.

Sweeney was was also the main author of a report published by the Environmental Protection Agency about the effect on climate change in Ireland. Among his predictions was that winter rainfall amounts would rise steeply in Ireland, which seems to be happening.

"Floods have always been with us and we can't point the finger at any human agency, but the effects of climate change will mean that events like this will become more frequent,"he said referring to the flooding

He stated that in some parts of the west of Ireland, it has rained in each of the last 30 days.

Sweeney said that "serious lessons must be learned from this.

"There needs to be more care on where we build new infrastructure and new housing. I have been quite struck in the last number of days by the number of modern housing estates I have seen flooded that are located on flood plains."

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PatrickLee | Dec 01, 2009, 03:56 PM EST

To Downunderyan: Unlike you and a frog, we skeptics actually think and know when we are being scammed.

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PatrickLee | Dec 01, 2009, 03:54 PM EST

To Downunderyan: Unlike you and a frog, most skeptics acutally think and know when we are being acammed.

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Downunderyan | Dec 01, 2009, 07:06 AM EST

There's an old, illustrative joke that seems to fit well with the so-called climate change sceptics - How do you boil a frog? Slowly! It's well known that if you throw a frog into an open pot of boiling water it will jump straight out again. However, if you put it in a pot of cold water and turn up the heat slowly under it, the frog will stay put until it's too late to act. Climate change sceptics are like the proverbial frogs who deny what's happening until it will be too late to do anything about the problem. Maybe they think they're relaxing in a nice, warm, spa bath tub? Ribbitt, ribbitt!

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vincentruane | Nov 30, 2009, 07:11 PM EST

The global corporations with their billions of dollars behind them can't get the weather forecast for tomorrow right most of the time as anyone who watches weather reports on television should know let alone understand weather patterns over centuries. The major question here is what other big lies are the government controlled pientists peddling us with. They have morally and intellectually forfeited the right to be considered scientists by their blatant acts of lies, cover ups, deception and scandalous fraud in relation to the disgusting global warning hoax. The major giant question here is what other lies are the pientists peddling in the world's universitys?

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Maoleitigh | Nov 30, 2009, 07:09 PM EST

Bull!

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PatrickLee | Nov 30, 2009, 05:38 PM EST

In a paper By Michael R. Fox, Ph.D. February 25, 2007 The "Hockeystick" The Global Warming Scandal of the Decade "The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is a UN organization formed within the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). This should sound alarms for those familiar with the politics of some of the power brokers within the UN itself." "This international global warming lobby is large, organized, heavily funded, and mean. Whatever their the agenda may be, it is not science." So to Ireland's leading climatologist, Prof. John Sweeney.... PROVE IT.

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plasticpaddy | Nov 30, 2009, 05:27 PM EST

Voodoo science! You are condemning almost all of the academic world. More like fools looking for anything to excuse a clearly unsustainable lifestyle.

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MikeRock | Nov 30, 2009, 04:19 PM EST

Ridiculous! Voodoo science at best. The earth's climate is cyclical. The Gore followers love their "Kool Aid".

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plasticpaddy | Nov 30, 2009, 04:17 PM EST

"Mankind has no control over it". So you deny absolutely the scientific evidence to the contrary JosephOCasey! Thats fine but it should be acknowledged that you are in direct confrontation with 99.9% of the academic world, and every expert in the field.

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plasticpaddy | Nov 30, 2009, 04:16 PM EST

Thats not true Dompedro, they can geolically determine large periods of flooding and wetter seasons, they don't need or rely on just written record. As for EMCCLARY come on now, do you know how many academics are actually socialists, a very very very low percentage, even more os in the traditional sciences where conservatism and positivist thought reigns supreme. To suggest that it is just socialists behind this "CRISIS" is silly and childish. If you wish to make a real and intelligent argument agaisnt climate change and global warming then you would have taken the route abandoned by the opposition to the dominant scientific perspective and spoke of the nature of the impact of the human population on climate change. to suggest global warming is not the case and not actually provide any scientific evidence to combat the absolutely overwhelming evidence to the contrary is just plain old ignoring the facts. At least make an argument, not just spout sillyness.

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Dompedro | Nov 30, 2009, 12:24 PM EST

Dr. Sweeney says the worst flooding in 800 years ask him what happened 800 years ago he says floods will increase in frequency -- so far we have a frequency of one

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EMCCLARY | Nov 30, 2009, 09:31 AM EST

I'm really pleased to see that so many of your readers are aware of the on-going scandal concerning the e-mails recently exposed that confirm "Even members of the Great Global Warming Swindle are now arguing about ways to cover up any research results that disagree with their big lie" They can plug any numbers they like into their computer models but they can't change the facts of what is really going on in the planets REAL climate. Take the opinions of the people whose careers depend on keeping Global Warming a "CRISIS" out of the mix and the valid scientific community is about 50-50 on warming is caused by Natural Cycle VS Caused by Western Industrial Pollution. It's just socialists trying to get their ideas in the backdoor that would not pass the smell test guard at the front door.

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conning | Nov 29, 2009, 06:32 PM EST

The reality of Global Heating becomes more obvious each year. With the help of scientists like Professor Sweeney, Ireland has the chance of beginning to address the ramifications of this enormous change to our planet. In that sense, Ireland is fortunate.

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kickstar | Nov 29, 2009, 05:01 AM EST

Yeah time to find a new hymn sheet the lie that is "Global Warming" has been sussed and the Fraud that is "Carbon Tax" is just a new name for giving it to your Citizens up the backdoor.

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JosephOCasey | Nov 28, 2009, 06:12 PM EST

Please stop with this stupidity. The earth has gone thru cooling and warming cycles for millions of years. Mankind has no control over it.

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