The record-breaking temperatures of recent days increased 10 times faster than would be expected in a stable climate, scientists have warned.
So while sun-soaked beach parties may be a happy outcome of the good weather, it hides a trend causing deep concern.
The former record for May was 28.4 degrees. It was broken twice in the past few days and now stands at 30.5 degrees.
“We have broken May records on Monday and again yesterday and Met Éireann says we could again today,” Dr Conor Quinlan of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Wednesday.
READ MORE
“We have broken records by 2 degrees. That’s a record that, in a stable system, you would expect to increase by 0.2 degrees.
“In July, we’ve had 33 degrees – does that become 35 degrees? How long until it’s 40 degrees?
“We have a problem, we have to do something about it, the impacts are stark.”
Quinlan was speaking at the EPA’s annual climate conference after the agency published its latest greenhouse gas emissions forecast for Ireland.
It shows the country will, at best, achieve only a 25 per cent drop in planet-heating emissions by 2030 when the legal target is a 51 per cent reduction.
“It’s halfway to halfway,” Quinlan said of the longer-term goal of reaching net zero emissions.
The EPA has called for much greater focus on climate policies and measures to try to squeeze as much progress out of the next four years.
Minister for Climate Darragh O’Brien defended the performance, saying it was going “in the right direction”.
But Opposition parties were highly critical, accusing the Government of inaction.
“We have seen no urgency from the Government,” said Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman. “This is most clearly demonstrated by O’Brien’s failure to publish the Climate Action Plan for 2026.
“The year is almost half gone and the roadmap for 2026 still is sitting on the Minister’s desk. Today’s EPA report shows us the consequences of this lack of action.”
Labour climate spokesman Ciarán Ahern said the Government was “not serious when it comes to pursuing climate positive policies”.
“Government have made commitments to address our emissions and now they are actively breaking these commitments and sabotaging progress,” he said.
Friends of the Earth said the EPA’s findings were “bitterly disappointing”.
“This is no longer a warning sign, it is a flashing alarm that Ireland is failing to treat climate breakdown with the seriousness it demands,” said chief executive Deirdre Duffy.
“It is unacceptable that the Government is failing its own Programme for Government commitments to meet key climate targets and decisively reduce fossil fuel reliance.”
The record heat has affected many parts of Europe, with multiple deaths from heat stress recorded.
United Nations climate chief Simon Stiell said the heatwave was a “brutal reminder of the spiralling impacts of the climate crisis, both human and economic”.
