Scottish researchers study impact of climate change

Scottish researchers are to examine the impact of climate change on North Atlantic coastal communities.

The scientists from the prospective University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Environmental Research Institute are to undertake a three-year project to determine how global warming may impact these communities.

The Western Isles will be one of five sites chosen for the CoastAdapt study by the team from UHI and partners from Norway, Iceland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

One of the aims of the project will be to create a climate witness network where people can inform CoastAdapt of any changes they find.

John McClatchey, senior research fellow at the institute, said in a statement: "CoastAdapt brings together researchers, local authorities and local people to provide support for communities to adapt to climate change and take advantage of any opportunities it might offer."

The project was launched in Inverness and is led by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Westerns Isles Council, and is part-funded by the European Union Northern Periphery Programme.

Councillor Norman A. MacDonald said: "The loss of life and damage to property on the coastline caused by the storm which hit the Western Isles in January 2005 left local residents in shock.

"Although not attributable to global warming, this incident made people aware of just how vulnerable they are to a changing climate and rising sea levels. The project will help North Atlantic coastal communities adapt to these changes."

Other sites to be studied will be Tralee Bay in County Kerry, Ireland; Hammerfest in west Finnmark, Norway; and Arborg and Vik in southern Iceland.

All the communities have suffered in recent years from the affects of extreme weather, such as coastal erosion, estuarine flooding and intense rainfall.

Some of the sites have seen an increased avalanche risk as a result of heavier snowfall and structural damage caused by hurricane force winds.