27

This Politico article claimed in 2016 that Trump's organization submitted a permit request that cites climate change as the driving reason:

The New York billionaire is applying for permission to erect a coastal protection works to prevent erosion at his seaside golf resort, Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland, in County Clare.

A permit application for the wall, filed by Trump International Golf Links Ireland and reviewed by POLITICO, explicitly cites global warming and its consequences — increased erosion due to rising sea levels and extreme weather this century — as a chief justification for building the structure.

Is the article substantially accurate?

Improve this question
15
  • 9
    Where is the evidence that Trump has anything to do with the low-level management of this (or any other) property? Especially as he has supposedly turned over the management of his businesses to his sons: politico.com/story/2017/01/…
    – jamesqf
    Jun 3, 2017 at 18:03
  • 3
    @jamesqf The OP's cited article was dated May, 2016...
    – DJohnM
    Jun 3, 2017 at 20:39
  • 3
    @Jamesqf I think we all understand that Trump is not personally writing out these permits. He is probably not reading them either. CEOs don't make a habit of reading the low level boring stuff. I think the question title could be reworded, but the body of the question is clear on that point.
    – BobTheAverage
    Jun 4, 2017 at 6:05
  • 2
    @BobTheAverage: If we all understand that, then there really is no question here, just an amusing factoid.
    – jamesqf
    Jun 4, 2017 at 18:04
  • 7
    @fredsbend - if true, then it offers more insight into the hypocrisy of POTUS on the subject, and would call into question the veracity of reasons he gives for claiming to not believe that the phenomenon exists. Seems pretty useful. If by "useful" you mean affirms your own point of view, then maybe not so much.
    – PoloHoleSet
    Jun 5, 2017 at 17:32

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
37

Evidence

TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd (authorized to trade legally as "Trump International Golf Links & Hotel Ireland", among other names) submitted a planning application (ref: 16371) to Clare County Council on 10 May 2016. Its purpose is stated as:

development comprising coastal erosion management works at and adjacent Carrowmore Dunes, White Strand, Doughmore Bay and Trump International Golf Links and Hotel, Doonbeg.

An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) ("EIS/NIS Coastal Protection-Volume 1 Text & Figures" on linked page), compiled by Creagh House Environmental Ltd on behalf of TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd, was included with the application.

On page 3, Section 1.1.1 (Hydrogeology), mention is made of extreme weather in relation to climate change as a motivation for the development:

The evidence for increased storm activity associated with climate change suggests that the erosion will accelerate. If the current rate of erosion is allowed to continue, this will result in a significant loss of habitat, and infrastructure, with linear losses up to 150m being experienced by 2050.

Section 1.2 (The Habitat Erosion Problem) cites rising sea levels and extreme weather as causes of dune erosion:

[...] the more extreme Atlantic storms and sea level rise extant in the west of Ireland, now poses a very serious threat to [...] dune habitats in some areas.

The article also references a Trump Doonbeg-branded brochure included in the appendices of the EIS, A3/13 to be precise: enter image description here

The planning application was withdrawn on 5 December 2016.

Conclusion

While the precise phrasing of "rising sea levels due to climate change" appears neither in the article nor in the planning application or accompanying EIS mentioned above, the article itself appears to be substantially accurate.

Politico is therefore correct in its assertion that TIGL Ireland Enterprises Ltd cited climate change, extreme weather events and rising sea levels as a justification for building their proposed coastal erosion management structures.

Improve this answer
4
  • 5
    Welcome to Skeptics! Very good first post, +1. I will say that the Environmental Impact Statement link did not work for me the first time. Is there a more consistent link to that document?
    – DenisS
    Jun 6, 2017 at 15:32
  • Thanks, and good catch - I'll replace it with a link to the document listing and reference to the EIS.
    – Eoin
    Jun 6, 2017 at 15:53
  • 1
    I guess this didn't turn out as the OP expected, since he didn't accept your answer...
    – Fizz
    Mar 20, 2020 at 13:19
  • @Fizz Looks like it was accepted an hour after you commented — I'm guessing your comment was the cause, thanks!
    – Eoin
    Mar 23, 2020 at 18:28

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .