New book! Ireland and the Climate Crisis
Ireland and the Climate Crisis, new book published by Palgrave Macmillan
As the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action continues its scrutiny of the Climate Bill, it is timely to announce the newly published book “Ireland and the Climate Crisis” which is co-edited by DCU’s Dr Dave Robbins and Prof Pat Brereton, School of Communications and Dr Diarmuid Torney, School of Law and Government.
The first of its kind, “Ireland and the Climate Crisis” provides a comprehensive overview of the country’s response to the climate crisis and will serve as a key reference point for academics, students, policymakers, and a wide range of stakeholders.
This unique book is a collaborative effort delivering expertise across a range of disciplines including social sciences and humanities and is testimony to DCU’s research-led teaching approach, as it will serve as a companion volume to DCU’s MSc in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society.
Dr. Dave Robbins said: “Long regarded as a ‘climate laggard’, Ireland’s response to the urgent societal challenge of climate change has seen new momentum in recent times. This book will be of interest to readers within Ireland, as well as further afield, who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the constraints on, and opportunities for, successful climate action in Ireland.”
Prof. Pat Brereton added: “This book has been a truly collaborative effort not only across leading scholars in the DCU Schools of Communications and Law and Government, but it also includes key contributions from colleagues in the Institute of Education and other Irish universities such as Maynooth, UCD, UL and UCC.”
Published by Palgrave Macmillan, the foreword was written by one of the key architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, Laurence Tubiana and already the book is attracting great reviews. Mary Robinson, chair of The Elders, and former President of Ireland said:
“Ireland has an important role to play in responding to the climate crisis. This volume provides an excellent overview of the challenges and opportunities facing Ireland in responding to this urgent global challenge.”
The launch of this book comes at a propitious time, as the latest draft climate bill to amend Ireland’s 2015 climate legislation marks a positive step to enhance the framework for governing climate action in this country. Dr Diarmuid Torney has been at the forefront debating this legislation to ensure clear targets are set for measurability and accountability before it is finally passed in December 2020. He concluded:
“The issue of climate change is far reaching with an impact for all levels of society, both for individuals and organisations. Increasing understanding of the issues and factors at play is vital if Ireland is to be successful at achieving a target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The new climate Bill is one part of a much bigger jigsaw. It is an important start, but it needs to be accompanied by a wide range of other measures, including strong measures to ensure citizen participation.”