Met Éireann has awarded €2.8 million in funding to projects aimed at making Ireland more flood resistant in the era of climate change.
A warming climate will result in more severe coastal flooding while there will be an increase in winter flooding and more intense rainfall events, raising the risk of river flooding and flash floods.
Climate scientists at Maynooth University have concluded that human-induced climate change was behind the flash flooding which affected the centre of Midleton, Co Cork, last October. The Valencia floods in Spain last year have also been blamed on climate change.
The awards are being made via the Met Éireann Research Call 2024 to projects aimed at addressing climate change, extreme weather events and environmental sustainability.
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The flood forecasting research project is aimed at improving understanding of how increased flooding affects river discharge, tides and storm surges.
Three projects at University College Cork, two at the University of Galway and one at Maynooth University will receive the funding.
Met Éireann’s weather and climate research programme was launched in 2018 and has, to date, provided €10.3 million in research across Irish academic institutions.
UCC vice-president for research and innovation Prof John Cryan said he was “immensely proud” the university accounted for half the research projects.
Dr Páraic Ryan will received €600,000 to research how to build resilience for future extreme events examining the likes of Storm Ophelia and the impact it had on Ireland.
Dr Paul Holloway will receive €300,000 for climate services for multi-sector benefits and the same amount has been awarded to Dr Vahid Aryanpur for climate-informed plans to support Ireland’s net-zero ambitions.
Dr Paul Nolan of the University of Galway will receive €600,000 for analysing global climate model data and how to might pertain to Ireland.
University of Galway scientist Dr Indiana Olbert will receive €400,000 for modelling an integrated multi-model, multi-hazard flood forecasting system.
Prof Conor Murphy of Maynooth University will receive €600,000 to research extremes across climates and time frames.
