Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Comment pieces

Comment pieces

End view of a pile of metal pipes 11Mar
The Perpetual Motion Economy?

Can we engineer our way to sustainable growth, asks Dr Kevin Roche from the UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, or does the ideal of the circular economy defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics?

Storm, lighthouse 21Feb
Greater than the sum of their parts: why the aftermath of Storm Darragh highlights neglected disaster scenarios facing Ireland

Dr Ronan McDermott from the UCD Centre for Humanitarian Action and School of Agriculture and Food Science explains why the aftermath of Storm Darragh rather than Storm Éowyn is indicative of the complex multi-hazard interactions that climate change will present Ireland

View of Leinster House, Dublin. Jeanhousen, wikimedia 17Jan
Lessons from a decade of climate politics in Ireland

With the publication of the draft Programme for Government this week by the incoming coalition of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, supported by Independents, Dr Cara Augustenborg (UCD School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy) reflects on ten years of analysing and assessing Irish governments on their climate and environmental policies.

Green Hydrogen factory concept. Credit: iStock 14Nov
Can sea water power the future of green hydrogen?

Climate change is having a major impact across Europe. The European Drought Observatory has reported that nearly 50% of the continent is under drought warning with southern European countries having already in place severe water restrictions. So where does the green hydrogen economy sit in all of this, asks Veronica Sofianos (UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering)?
Heritage grain varieties at the Organic Village at the National Ploughing Championship 2024 27Sep
A UCD archaeologist at The Ploughing

Why would an archaeologist from UCD be interested in attending ‘the Ploughing’, one of the largest gatherings of farmers in Europe? Meriel McClatchie (UCD School of Archaeology), highlights the value of stepping outside the university to meet people from the wider farming sector, where together we can explore the deep history of farming in Ireland and its relevance for the future.
Jen Keenahan San Francisco Bridge 12Jun
Airflow and Architecture: How Fluid Dynamics Shapes Our Skylines

The tragic incident of the Baltimore Bridge collapse serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of integrating fluid dynamics into engineering practices. While the collapse of the bridge was due to the ship colliding with a bridge pier, understanding the prevailing current flows and how they might bring a ship off-course is hugely important, says Dr Jennifer Keenahan (UCD School of Civil Engineering).
Derrymore Saltmarsh Co Kerry 29May
Saltmarshes - Much More Than Meets the Eye

Sitting unassumingly on the margins of our coasts, between tide and terrestrial, lie saltmarsh habitats. These habitats, long perceived as waste grounds and areas for land reclamation, are in fact a major ally in mitigating and adapting to climate change, says Dr Grace Cott (UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science).

Contact the Earth Institute

University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
E: earth.institute@ucd.ie