Ireland’s ammonia emissions continue to surge
A new report published by the EPA has revealed that the expansion of the agriculture sector has played a significant role in a substantial increase in ammonia emissions during 2018
Coronavirus and climate crisis, is there hope?
When the Coronavirus pandemic paralysed transport, global pollution levels declined drastically, unveiling a blue sky even in Beijing. And in Venice, clear water replaced the city’s notoriously murky canals, it reaffirmed the radical notion that nature’s resurrection was possible. However, the economic impact of nature’s renewal has been significant. The European Commission, for example, has projected that […]
Hiding in plain sight: Covid-19 and air pollution
April 3rd, 2020 Coronavirus is hiding in plain sight. The idea of an illness-prompting, tiny particle, invisible to our eyes may sound novel and frightening to some. For scientists and ecological researchers, specialising in air pollution; however, this is nothing new. Air polluting particles have been undermining our health in urban, industrial regions for decades, […]
‘Solidarity the way to go’ – climate strikers on COVID-19
March 24th, 2020 As the Coronavirus pandemic shutters public strikes and demonstrations, teenage climate strikers are labouring to find a powerful way to raise public awareness online about climate breakdown. Saoi O’Connor, one of Ireland’s most prominent teenage strikers, says that the seriousness of the health emergency also makes highlighting the climate crisis doubly difficult. […]
Short-term emissions drop nothing to celebrate
March 19th, 2020 For the past few days as the COVID-19 pandemic upends global routines, social media has been flooded with people sharing hopeful messages about the improved state of the climate. Posts speak of a healing climate as the coronavirus and protective measures impacting economic and transportation patterns give the earth a breather. Recent […]
UCC environment society to cut ties with caterers over staff layoffs
March 16th, 2020 University College Cork (UCC) environmental society will cut all ties with the university’s catering provider over last week’s decision to lay off campus restaurant staff. The catering firm Kylemore Services Group (KSG) has let all staff go who were working at the campus’s main eatery. It is believed that the staff has […]
Covid-19 and the climate: key impacts so far
March 13th, 2020 Earlier this month, the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service said the recent decline in particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in China’s atmosphere was likely due to measures adopted to contain the spread of COVID-19. The COVID-19 outbreak that originated in Hubei province compelled Chinese officials to take rigid, cautionary actions to contain it. These […]
EPA to hold oral hearing on Irish Cement emissions licence
March 6th, 2020 The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold an oral hearing to re-evaluate its decision to grant an industrial emissions licence to Irish Cement to allow for the burning of non-hazardous waste as fuel at its factory in Co Limerick. The announcement follows persistent public scrutiny about the EPA’s decision to greenlight the […]
Cork ‘earth protector’ granny found guilty of stealing Coillte timber
February 28th, 2020 A grandmother charged with illegally felling conifers in a Coillte forest beside her home in west Cork was convicted of stealing timber worth €500 at the Cork Circuit Criminal Court this afternoon. Sionad Jones of Maughnaclea, Kealkil was found guilty of a charge related to the dishonest appropriation of wood and admitted […]
Cork county council to remove oil drums from grounded ghost ship
February 24th, 2020 Cork County Council is preparing to remove materials from a grounded ghost ship that could pose a pollution risk by helicopter on Tuesday. The council is preparing to airlift barrels of machine oil from the abandoned cargo ship stranded on rocks near Ballycotton in east Cork as part of its pollution mitigation […]