Latest Research Publications
Research 329: Encouraging Environmentally Friendly Behaviour with Insights from Behavioural Economics
Authors: Leonhard K. Lades, J. Andrew Kelly and J. Peter Clinch, July 2020
Year: 2020
The 2019 Climate Action Plan sets out targets for Ireland in sectors including transport, residential heating and waste. To achieve these targets, infrastructure investments are essential. However, infrastructure investments are not enough, the investments must be paired with broad behavioural change. This report aims to support environmental policymaking in Ireland with the goal of encouraging environmentally friendly behaviour.
Research 328: Eco-Health: Ecosystem Benefits of Greenspace for Health
Authors: Mark Scott, Mick Lennon, Owen Douglas and Craig Bullock, July 2020
Year: 2020
This project advances the perspective that accessible and well-designed green spaces are essential infrastructure that is fundamental to the health and well-being of thriving and inclusive communities. There is a scientific consensus that green space provides multiple benefits for enhancing health and well-being, and these benefits provided by green space are increasingly recognised in policy at international, national and local levels.
Research 327: Developing the Potential of Community Energy Action Groups in the Transition to a Low-carbon Society
Authors: Susan Byrne and Bernadette O’Regan, July 2020
Year: 2020
In Ireland, approximately 38% of the population live in rural regions. Rural populations contribute significantly more to carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in the transport and residential energy sectors than their urban counterparts. In relation to community sustainability, this report evaluates the opportunities for rural communities in low-carbon transition in relation to energy, waste, transport and other contributing factors.
Research 326: The Role of Energy Technology in Climate Mitigation in Ireland: Irish TIMES Phase 3
Authors: Brian Ó Gallachóir, Paul Deane, James Glynn, Fionn Rogan, July 2020
Year: 2020
The continued rise in transport activity, energy consumption and emissions can be attributed to economic, technological and societal factors. A range of technoeconomic and socioeconomic analytical tools and models were developed and employed in this project to generate an evidence base that can inform decarbonisation-focused transport sector decision-taking and policymaking.
Research 325: Sourcing and Assessing Agricultural Activity Data for Modelling and National Estimates of Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants
Author: Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, July 2020
Year: 2020
This project aimed to inform efforts at combating climate change as a core national priority in the pursuit of a sustainable, low carbon economy in compliance with international obligations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and air pollutants and increase soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration.
Research 324: Emission Factors from Domestic-scale Solid-fuel Appliances (EFDOSOF)
Authors: W.J. Smith and C. Quinn, July 2020
Year: 2020
The Emission Factors from Domestic-scale Solid-fuel Appliances (EFDOSOF) study set out to establish representative, real-world emission factors (EFs) for the range of solid fuels used for residential combustion in Ireland. The improved EFs developed during this study will inform and improve Ireland’s response to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and to the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive.
Research 323: Critical Loads and Soil-Vegetation Modelling
Authors: Julian Aherne, Kayla Wilkins and Hazel Cathcart, July 2020
Year: 2020
This report presents results from the research project “Critical Loads and Soil-Vegetation Modelling”. The principal objectives of this project were to update critical loads of acidity and eutrophication for terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems in Ireland, to evaluate the potential impacts of nitrogen deposition on plant species diversity.
Research 322: Irish Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Environments: Stage 1 Feasibility Report
Authors: Catherine A. Farrell and Jane C. Stout, July 2020
Year: 2020
The INCASE (Irish Natural Capital Accounting for Sustainable Environments) research project aims to apply Natural Capital Accounting at a pilot (catchment) scale in Ireland. This Interim Report reviews natural capital accounting approaches, data requirements for the project, catchment selection, potential applications and feasibility.
Research 321: Opportunities to Decarbonise the Irish Transport Sector
Authors: Eamonn Mulholland, Fionn Rogan, Tomás Mac Uidhir and Brian Ó Gallachóir, July 2020
Year: 2020
In 2017, the energy sector was responsible for 60% of Ireland’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The largest contributor to Ireland’s energy-related GHG emissions, at 33%, is the transport sector. A range of technoeconomic and socioeconomic analytical tools and models were developed and employed in this project to generate an evidence base that can inform decarbonisation focused transport sector decision-taking and policymaking.
Research 320: Assessing Vulnerability to Climate Change: An Approach Illustrated through Large Urban Scale Adaptation (Urb-ADAPT)
Authors: Roberta Paranunzio, Barry O’Dwyer, Paul J. Alexander, Marco Guerrini, Ned Dwyer and Jeremy Gault, July 2020
Year: 2020
Globally, climate change will have wide-ranging effects on all aspects of society, the environment and the economy. This is particularly the case for urban areas, which represent only a small fraction of the Earth’s surface (less than 3%) but are where more than half of the global population resides and concentrations of assets and economic activities are found.
Research 319: Remote Sensing of Aerosols, Clouds and Wind at Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station
Authors: Jana Preißler and Colin O’Dowd, July 2020
Year: 2020
The power of remote sensing lies in its ability to automatically and continuously characterise parts of the atmosphere that can be far away from the sensor, e.g. at high altitudes from the ground in the case of this study. This fellowship focused on continuous high-resolution (vertical and temporal) profiling of the atmosphere over Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station using active and passive ground-based remote sensing techniques.
Research 318: Source Apportionment of Particulate Matter in Urban and Rural Residential Areas of Ireland (SAPPHIRE)
In this research project, the contribution of residential solid fuel burning to ambient levels of wintertime PM2.5 was determined in the towns of Killarney, Enniscorthy and Birr. The results show that the burning of peat, coal and wood for home heating is by far the largest source of PM2.5 air pollution in these locations., June 2020
Year: 2020
In this research project, the contribution of residential solid fuel burning to ambient levels of wintertime PM2.5 was determined in the towns of Killarney, Enniscorthy and Birr. The results show that the burning of peat, coal and wood for home heating is by far the largest source of PM2.5 air pollution in these locations.
Climate Research Coordination Group: Second Report on Activities: January - December 2019
Authors: This report has been prepared by the EPA on behalf of the Climate Research Coordination Group, May 2020, June 2020
Year: 2020
This second report presents a summary of the Climate Research Coordination Group’s activities in 2019.
The Potential for Economic Reprocessing of Mine Waste in Ireland
Authors: Paul Gordon, Shane Lavery, June 2020
Year: 2020
This small scale study looked at the potential for economic reprocessing of mine waste in Ireland.
Silvermines Wetland Substrate Reprocessing
Authors: Jamie Robinson, Paul Gordon, Shane Lavery, June 2020
Year: 2020
The purpose of the study was to establish, in principle, if the metals held in the substrate could be extracted as a resource.
Draft EPA Research 2030 Framework
Year: 2020
The EPA is opening a Public consultation to receive comments on the draft EPA Research 2030 Framework.
Research 317: MapEIre: National Mapping of Greenhouse Gas and Non-greenhouse Gas Emissions Sources Project.
Authors: Ole-Kenneth Nielsen, Marlene S. Plejdrup, Henrik G. Bruun, Steen Gyldenkærne and Jesper H. Christensen, May 2020
Year: 2020
This research developed a state-of-the-art integrated model system to map emissions for Ireland’s emission inventories of air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Based on a variety of spatial and statistical data, the MapEIre model produced detailed spatial emissions at a resolution of 1 km × 1 km.
Research 316: Environmental Outcomes from Licence Enforcement Activity
Authors: Bernadette Power, Ellen O’ Connor, John Eakins, Celine McInerney, Stig Hellebust and Timothy Sullivan, May 2020
Year: 2020
The ultimate objective of environmental regulation is the prevention and reduction of environmental harm from pollution, habitat loss and resource depletion. The findings from this research provide an update of current practices and recent changes introduced in some jurisdictions.
Research 315: Activity Data for Emissions of Non-methane Volatile Organic Compounds
Authors: Stephen Barry and Bernadette O’Regan, April 2020
Year: 2020
Non-methane volatile organic compound (NMVOC) emissions from Solvent and Other Product Use have been estimated for 2006–2012. This included updating the activity data, emission factors and emissions data and compiling this information into a national emissions estimate for the specified years.
Research 314: Deepening Public Engagement on Climate Change: Lessons from the Citizens’ Assembly
Authors: Laura Devaney, Diarmuid Torney, Pat Brereton and Martha Coleman, April 2020
Year: 2020
The Irish Citizens’ Assembly afforded 99 citizens the time, space and structure to deliberate on some of the most important issues facing Irish society and politics. The 13 climate recommendations agreed on by the citizens in consideration of “How the State can make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change” were significantly more radical than many expected. They encompassed a suite of sectors, solutions and policy actions.