Climate change is accelerating the threat of coastal erosion for more than 40,000 people living in coastal communities, according to the Irish Independent.

The warning comes from a new report commissioned by local authorities, and produced by the MaREI Centre at UCC, which suggests that 824 properties — particularly in the counties of Galway, Louth and Wexford — and over 300km of roads are at risk.

The report highlights that many of at-risk areas around the country have lands zoned for housing, commercial or industrial use — but only one county has not approved developments within 100 metres of the coast in the last five years.

It’s also feared that current rates of erosion of Ireland’s coastline may be higher than believed, putting potentially hundreds of communities in danger.

The Irish Independent has much more on the story HERE.