I’m sure that this will engender some serious cognitive dissonance among smart growthers:
Dublin’s urban sprawl has saved it from the heatwaves which are affecting other European capitals, one of the country’s leading climatologists said yesterday. Instead of stewing in tropical temperatures Dubliners have been spared the worst effects of global warming by an accident of urban planning. Figures released yesterday show that 13 out of 16 European cities studied have seen their average temperatures rise by at least one degree over the last 35 years. And although there has been a rise in Dublin’s temperatures of 0.7 degrees since 1970, it have not been as extensive as those suffered by capitals like Madrid or London. . . . . As global warming continues to impact, Dublin’s relatively low building density has prevented a build up of heat which has afflicted most of the major European cities in the last 10 years.
Full story here.