EPA launches €11.7m fund for climate research in Ireland

19 Apr 2022

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Research projects that aim to curb the effects of climate crisis and help develop new policies can apply for the funding.

Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is looking to fund research that could help address the climate crisis and other emerging, complex environmental issues.

Up to €11.7m has been made available for research proposals across a range of topics that could help curb the effects of the climate emergency and other environmental risks. It comes after a report from the EPA at the end of last year indicated that people in Ireland believe the climate crisis is happening and that more must be done to address it.

Broad themes for funding include improving knowledge on greenhouse gasses, focusing on health in industrial regulation and hazardous substances in the environment, challenges and opportunities in climate action, and the circular economy.

Laura Burke, director-general of the EPA, said that funding is essential to “improving national understanding of our environment, the challenges it faces and responses to these challenges”.

“The EPA funds research that seeks to address knowledge gaps, provide robust evidence to inform policy and support the implementation of environmental policies in Ireland. This supports an evidence-led approach to policy-making based on excellent science and information,” she added.

The research programme is an initiative of the Government, funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with the intention to update and implement new environmental policies in Ireland.

Dr Alice Wemaere, EPA research manager, said that the programme has been co-funded in partnership with a number of other organisations, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Geological Survey Ireland and Met Éireann.

“We are also pleased to announce two open topics covering the potential for use of satellite data in environmental monitoring and assessment and the role of the environment in development and transmission of antimicrobial resistance,” Wemaere added.

The research call opened for submissions 14 April on the EPA website and the deadline for proposals is 1 June. The new projects will be awarded funding towards the end of this year, with results to be published in January 2023.

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Vish Gain was a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com