Cities, Governance and Sustainability

UCD-led research group collaborating with civil society groups and policymakers across Ireland, the UK, North America and beyond to examine the interface between the built environment, lived experience and governance structures in support of addressing the challenges of ever-growing cities.

BLUE4ALL

HORIZON Europe Ocean Mission project working towards addressing marine conservation and restoration challenges in Europe. The project places stakeholders at the center of the MPA process, ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed from the outset. Living labs will ultimately result in a user-friendly Blueprint Platform for creating effective, efficient, and resilient MPAs and networks of MPAs. 

FReSCH

European Commission project taking an interdisciplinary approach to exploring how environmental sustainability can also ensure social justice in complex fashion supply chains. One of the first research projects to investigate the trade-offs, tensions and outcomes between economic, social and environmental sustainability in the transition to a low-carbon circular fashion industry. 

Cultural Imaginaries of Just Transitions

This project puts the frameworks of 'just transitions' into dialogue with the critical and literary insights of humanities scholars, to unpick what cultural imaginaries might aid in generating a sustainable and just society. Examining interdisciplinary approaches to the transformation of “nature-society” through new cultural forms. 

Silicate

Based at NovaUCD, Silicate has developed technology to remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through the weathering of silicate and hydroxide minerals. The first company in the world to utilise this material to sequester carbon at scale, they have developed robust in-situ measurement and modelling capabilities to verify the rates of carbon removal they enable.

The Transport Research Hub (TREAH)

TREAH brings together all UCD transport researchers under one umbrella to engender greater collaborative output and address key challenges in the area of transport from a social, technological, environmental, economic and business point of view.

Citizen Rural

IRC COALESCE project investigating how rural populations can harness digital technologies to enhance participative democracy in planning and policy for local sustainable development. Bringing together community and co-operative networks in rural areas, current rural development strategies around the Smart Village concept and CLLD frameworks, and digital technologies.

MARBEFES

Horizon Europe funded project of 23 partners advancing understanding of the causes and consequences of the maintenance, loss and gain of biodiversity and ecological and economic value and the repercussions of this for the management and governance of European seas. 

Democracy Challenged

ERC Consolidator project developing a new theoretical framework and causal mechanism to explain how corporate tax avoidance fuels the wealth inequalities that undermine democracy. The transdisciplinary research team cuts across the economic, political and legal sciences to investigate how corporate tax avoidance impacts wealth inequality and democracy, with a particular focus on the big tech and big pharma sectors.

Energy Narratives and Change in Coastal Communities in Ireland (ENACT)

Marine Institute-funded project engaging with residents and county councils in Kilrush, Co. Clare and Whitegate, Co. Cork. to understand grassroots narratives about the energy transition. Kilrush is the location of Moneypoint, Ireland’s largest power plant fueled by coal, while Whitegate has the State’s only oil refinery. Both communities are expected to be at the forefront of the renewable energy transition, with the nearby marine environments designated as Broad Areas of Interest for floating wind energy projects. 

EnvEcon

A campus spin-off from UCD School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy formed by Dr Andrew Kelly and Prof Peter Clinch, EnvEcon is a leading provider of government and business policy advisory services and decision-support systems focused on matters of economic and environmental policy and regulation. 

Just Transition Research Group

UCD-led group increasing knowledge and understanding of Just Transition by building an international research network, dissemination activities, a multi-stakeholder conference, and creating a website / database of best practice and policy approaches.

ENVREG

The Environmental Regulation Research Group (ENVREG) seeks to stimulate and support research and critical debate on environmental regulation and governance at national and international levels. The group explores cutting-edge topics including climate change regulation, nature and biodiversity regulation, new modes of environmental governance, and improving the effectiveness of our environmental laws.

InPLACE

Study capturing recent, and anticipating future, changes to commuting and telecommuting behaviours in Ireland. As the pandemic's impact on the relationship between home and work, community and place, is only beginning to be understood, the study's findings will inform public policies, many of which are within the remit of local authorities, including health, housing, environment, community development, social policy, transportation and spatial planning

RECONNECT

A multidisciplinary consortium of researchers analysing the existential challenges to the EU’s authority and legitimacy, through examination of principles, practices, and perceptions of democracy and the rule of law in the EU. Aiming to contribute to a new comprehensive narrative that reconnects European governance with citizens through tailor-made policy recommendations and proposals for Treaty changes.

Vivid Edge

Headquartered at NovaUCD, Vivid Edge is a is an Enterprise Ireland high potential start-up (HPSU). This climate action impact company delivers turnkey net-zero carbon projects under a long-term service contract. Their model is designed to make it easier and faster for large organisations to reduce carbon footprint and to make a material impact on UN’s SDG 13, Climate Action.

Irish Energy Narratives in the Transition (IE-Narr)

Narratives provide invaluable ways of expressing the grassroots experiences of energy transitions from fossil fuel to renewable energy-systems. The IE-NARR project brings scholars and communities interested in narrative and just transitions together to establish research strands, sources and a network, to probe how energy shifts are being registered.

Greenwash.ai

Sustainable finance experts from UCD and beyond have created a system to detect greenwashing using cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning tools. Working towards the realisation of UN SDGs 7 (affordable & clean energy), 8 (decent work & economic growth), 9 (industry, innovation & infrastructure), and 13 (climate action), they provide data contrasting corporate green claims and greenhouse gas emission performance.

Taking Stock

iCrag SFI funded project studying people’s perceptions of Dundalk Bay and the mud on its seabed. Undisturbed mud on the seabed potentially stores carbon and may help slow climate change. By sharing findings with the community, government and industry, the team platformed the voices of local residents to be part of decisions on the future of the Bay and nearby marine areas.

HEAT-ADAPT

UCD researchers are collaborating with Dar es Salaam partners and communities to co-design and produce Nature-based Solutions combatting heat-stress caused by climate change. Funded by SFI and Irish Aid’s SDG Challenge grants, the project will develop socially inclusive, low-cost greening and cooling centres to enhance community resilience.

The Cultural Value of Coastlines

IRC funded interdisciplinary research project to investigate the cultural influences and impacts of ecosystem change on the Irish Sea coasts, involving archival and field research in Dublin Bay, the Cumbria coast, and Strangford Lough, as well as knowledge exchange and engagement with coastal communities. Outputs includes a Toolkit, publications and storymaps.

MESSAGE

The Marine & Energy Social Science Empirical Research Group (MESSAGE) at iCRAG carries out fundamental research at the intersection of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and STEM, with a particular focus on coastal, marine and renewable energy challenges, to engage communities and other stakeholders in decision-making processes and positive action.

UCD Centre for Irish Towns (CfIT)

CfIT brings together researchers and stakeholders from across the island of Ireland to support the revitalisation of Irish towns.

CUPHAT

Researchers from UCD School of Geography and colleagues in Aberystwyth University and Dyfed Archaeological Trust are working with communities in four upland areas of Ireland and Wales to create a more regenerative and sustainable form of tourism. 

UCD Earth Institute

Fostering multidiscipline research to improve fundamental understanding of our rapidly changing environment and find solutions for a sustainable future.

UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy

World-class expertise in a wide-ranging set of disciplines across Social Sciences and Law, Health and Agricultural Sciences and Business.

UCD Centre for Sustainable Development Studies (CSDS)

CSDS fosters Education, Research and Policy Outreach on Sustainable Development. This inter disciplinary group of academics, researchers and students focus on contemporary sustainable development issues.

UCD Humanities Institute

Showcasing the distinctive interdisciplinary research in the humanities at UCD, providing a laboratory for the study of culture and the human experience.

UCD Centre for Business and Society (CeBaS)

The Centre works with charities, civil society groups, companies and unions to engage in research, connections and actions that help address the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Centring local perspectives in decisions about the Irish coast

Improving the livelihoods of marginalised groups in Vietnam

PERITIA: understanding and fostering trust in experts

Empowering community-led green urban development

Climate Change Advisory Working Paper: Individual, household and community level climate change adaptation

Including citizens in constitutional reform

Engaging communities to address the problems of Climate Change

#Housing2030 shows how policy makers can improve affordable housing outcomes

RelayRisk: Environment risk communication guidelines informing EPA engagement strategies

Dr Liana Ricci: Improving adaptation to climate change in sub-Saharan cities

Prof Niamh Moore Cherry

College Principal for UCD College of Social Sciences and Law, founder and leader on the Cities, Governance and Sustainability research group, member of the advisory National Economic and Social Council.

Prof Peter Clinch

Leading welfare economist, Chair of SFI, member of Irish Government delegations to the European Council, the UN General Assembly, Davos World Economic Forum, co-founder of EnvEcon Ltd.

Dr Penelope Muzanenhemo

Africa lead within the Centre for Business and Society (CeBaS) and Executive Co-director for the research theme 'People, Work, Society' within the UCD Earth Institute, facilitating the integration of Africa in Business curricula. 

Dr Aidan Regan

Director of UCD's Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in the New Political Economy of Europe, research focus on the comparative political economy of Europe, network organiser at the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics, and the Council for European Studies.

Dr Karen Keaveney

Leads the 'Citizen Rural Research Lab', founding member of the UCD Centre for Irish Towns (CfIT), PI on Citizen Rural and leading Strand 1 of InPLACE.

Dr Tomas Buitendijk

Member of Blue4All and Taking Stock projects, Co-PI of the Irish Energy Narratives in the Transition (IE-Narr project, project partner on 'Energy Narratives and Change in Coastal Communities in Ireland (ENACT).

Prof Donna Marshall

Award-winning Sustainable Supply Chain scholar, Executive Director of the UCD Earth Institute: People, Work, Society initiative and former President of the International Purchasing and Supply Education and Research Association (IPSERA). 

Dr David Horan

Visiting Researcher at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (2018-20), member of the UN Friends of Governance for Sustainable Development, Advisor to Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future, Research Associate of UN SDSN, and participant in Ireland’s National SDG Stakeholder Forum. 

Prof Laurent Pech

Head of UCD Sutherland School of Law, specialising in EU Public Law, co-director and co-founder of The Good Lobby Profs, member of a H2020 RECONNECT project, on advisory board of RECLAIM, GEM-DIAMON and RESILIO.