People, especially young people, across Europe and around the world are demanding urgent action to address climate change. On March 15th, 2019, as part of the initiative #FridaysForFuture, at least 1.6 million school-going children and teenagers took part in climate action strikes in more than 125 countries. On 9th May 2019 Ireland became the second country in the world (after the UK) to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency. A recent report from the Irish parliament’s committee on climate action noted that “climate change is not tomorrow’s problem.
Policy makers, civil society, and scientists are seeking ways to adapt to and mitigate changes in in the earth system, including climate and environment, and to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
iCRAG, the SFI Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences, conducts multidisciplinary earth system science research that transcends industry and academia boundaries in the fields of earth system change, energy security, raw materials supply, groundwater protection, safeguarding the geomarine environment, and protection from the Earth’s hazards. Funded by Science Foundation Ireland and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Geological Survey Ireland and by industry partners, iCRAG’s research findings support evidence-based policy options and decision-making on matters of urgent societal concern, such as climate change and the resources required to address the climate change issue across both European and global communities.
The European Union faces unprecedented challenges in order to sustain viable societies while maintaining economic growth and development, creating employment, and supporting the health and well-being of people. The EU’s commitment to addressing these challenges is clearly expressed in a range of policy initiatives put forward for the next budget period, the Multiannual Framework Programme for the European Union from 2021 to 2027. Chief amongst these are climate, the environment, energy, and the digital agenda as well as those policies which specifically support innovation and the solutions for society through collaborative research and development, principally through the Horizon Europe framework programme for research and development.
Horizon Europe will address a broad spectrum of global challenges from climate change (35% of Horizon Europe budget) to health and the environment to security and defence. Other programmes relevant to iCRAG that support EU research, development and innovation include: the European Union Space programme, especially Copernicus and Galileo; the Digital Europe programme; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); and the Neighbourhood, Development, International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI).
Read the full white paper: iCRAG Global Change White Paper
