Climate change could present a serious threat to some of Northern Ireland's migrating bird flocks, the latest WWF report has revealed.

Almost 20,000 dunlin, which come to Northern Ireland's shores in large numbers from October to March, risk losing almost half of their Arctic breeding grounds over the next 20 years. The migrating wading birds currently feed and over winter in Lough Foyle, Strangford, Outer Ards, Belfast Lough and Carlingford Lough.

The report, ‘Arctic Climate Change with a 2°C Global Warming (1)’ by Dr Mark New of Oxford University outlines how, if climate change continues at current levels, the earth will have warmed by 2°C (3.6 degrees F) above pre-industrial levels (c. 1750) some time between 2026 and 2060, leading to the loss of summer sea ice as well as important habitats for its wildlife.

"Climate change affects us and our wildlife - it's a global problem with both global and local effects," said Malachy Campbell, Policy Officer at WWF Northern Ireland. "It is primarily caused by the excess amounts of greenhouse gases which we pump into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels for transport and power.

“Northern Ireland is currently the worst 'climate culprit' in the UK - we need to turn this around urgently. The DETI needs to develop a clear, long-term energy strategy to switch from fossil fuel to renewable sources, ensuring that Northern Ireland also takes responsibility to help solve this global problem."

Other risks to Northern Ireland from climate change include the flooding of low lying coastal communities such as Derry and Belfast due to rising sea level - it has been estimated that sea level could rise by up to 7 metres (approximately 23 feet) if the Greenland ice sheet melts - and the slowing down, or total switching off, of the Gulf Stream, could leave the province in the grip of harsher continental-style winters.

(MB/SP)