Democracy & the Environment Series V: “Navigating the Community Impacts of Coastal Change”

UCD Earth Institute Democracy & the Environment Series V: “Navigating the Community Impacts of Coastal Change”

This event will bring UCD researchers and government representatives into

conversation on how best to engage with coastal residents to navigate critical

changes in the coastal environment, in particular those related to erosion.

Coastal and marine landscapes around Ireland are rapidly transforming. Coastal

erosion, for example, is intensifying in places due to the effects of climate change.

Meanwhile, mitigation measures designed to prevent the loss of key landscape

features also impact the coast and the people that live there. Other key

transformations include new sectoral activities (e.g., offshore renewable energy

development) and government policy related to the sustainable use of coastal and

marine resources. How can researchers, local and national authorities, and

communities best navigate the impact of these changes?

The event will be opened by UCD Earth Institute Director, Professor Eoin O'Neill,

together with Dr. Fergus McAuliffe, who is a coordinator of the Institute’s Marine &

Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group (MESSAGE).

We will also hear from Dr. Shauna Creane, on coastal erosion processes on Irish

coasts, and Dr. Tomas Buitendijk, on the impact of coastal landscape change on

local communities. Responses will be offered by Dr. Katherine Cronin (Department

of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage) and Mr. Xavier Monteys (Geological

Survey Ireland), followed by a Q&A session.

MESSAGE: Marine & Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group is an interdisciplinary research group that is part of the UCD Earth Institute and iCRAG’s ‘Earth Science in Society’ research challenge. The group carries out fundamental research at the intersection of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with a particular focus on coastal, marine and renewable energy challenges. MESSAGE is jointly initiated and coordinated by Associate Professor Geertje Schuitema (UCD School of Business), Dr. Mark Coughlan (UCD School of Earth Sciences), Dr. Fergus McAuliffe (iCRAG & UCD School of Earth Sciences), and Dr. Tomas Buitendijk (UCD School of Business), all of whom are members of UCD Earth Institute as well as ICRAG, Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre in Applied Geosciences.

Biographies

Dr Fergus McAuliffe

Dr Fergus McAuliffe is an award-winning science communicator and holds a PhD in Environmental Science. He is the Communications and Public Engagement Manager at the iCRAG Research Centre at University College Dublin, Ireland where his science communication and research activities include working with artists, teachers, and the media.

Fergus is TV presenter with more than 10 years experience on "10 Things to Know About" on RTE1 TV where he presents science stories focussing on of science storytelling, the natural world and the environment. Fergus is a previous winner of FameLab International, the world's largest science communication competition, has also been shortlisted for The Guardian science writing prize. Fergus is a contributor to the science radio show Futureproof on Newstalk FM, on the board of SCI:COM Ireland and has delivered keynote presentations on storytelling in science across Europe, the US and at TEDx. In 2022, his short film production “Inception Horizon” was selected for the Earth Futures film festival. He is a co-founder of the MESSAGE interdisciplinary research group.

Dr Shauna Creane

Dr Shauna Creane is a Post Doctoral Researcher and UCD Climate Fellow in UCD School of Civil Engineering. Dr Creane is a qualified Metocean Engineer and Marine Geoscientist with a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UCC. Her research primarily focusses on the interaction between meteorological, oceanographic and sediment transport processes over different time spans to answer complex research questions that aims to support the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources during the energy transition. Numerical and experimental modelling plays a pivotal role in her research, providing crucial insights into flow dynamics, wave propagation, and sediment dynamics, and the interaction of these natural phenomena with coastal and offshore infrastructure. Dr Creane also has extensive offshore sampling, seabed mapping, and site investigation experience, having participated in nine research surveys, including two as Chief Scientist. Dr Creane has over five years of industry experience working with a specialist engineering consultancy on the sustainable development of coastal and offshore infrastructure.

Dr Tomas Buitendijk

Tomas is an interdisciplinary researcher working at the interface of the Blue and Environmental Humanities and the Marine Social Sciences, with a particular interest in coastal, marine and energy research challenges. He currently works on the Horizon Europe-funded "Blue4All" project, developing social and governance tools to enhance stakeholder involvement in Marine Protected Area planning, designation and implementation. He is also involved with multiple research initiatives on community experiences related to the energy transition around Ireland. Tomas is a coordinator and founding member of MESSAGE, the Marine & Energy Social Sciences & Humanities Interdisciplinary Research Group hosted by the UCD Earth Institute together with iCRAG, the SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences.

Dr Katherine Cronin

As marine environment policy adviser for the Irish government since 2021, Katherine implements and develops national and international policies related to the sustainable use of the maritime area, whilst protecting marine biodiversity. This work involves cooperation under the OSPAR convention, European Union, UN and the International Seabed Authority, particularly related to seabed habitats, offshore energy, marine litter, pollution and deep-sea mining. Recent work includes the development of a roadmap for coastal and marine nature based solutions in Ireland, which forms part of Ireland’s programme of measures under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

As a coastal geomorphologist by background, she previously worked as a marine adviser in Deltares, an independent institute in the Netherlands, on a range of multidisciplinary projects worldwide, including environmental impacts of marine infrastructure projects, estuarine management, building with nature projects and marine governance.

Mr Xavier Monteys

Mr. Xavier Monteys is a Senior Geologist in the Marine and Coastal Unit at Geological Survey Ireland where he joined in 2001. He is the Project Lead in GSI for the Coastal Change program. He currently serves in the Interdepartmental Group on National Coastal Change Management. He is leading the Irish participation in the European Space Agency’s Coastal Erosion from Space project. Since 2010, he has been involved in several EU- funded projects (e.g., EMODnet-bathymetry, CHERISH) and at present leads the Seabed minerals’ theme in the EU funded EMODnet-Geology project.

About the 'Democracy and the Environment' Seminar Series

The UCD Earth Institute presents the 'Democracy and the Environment Series', a sequence of seminars and discussions focused on the role of democracy and the environment, citizen trust in public institutions, and the sustainability agenda in the context of the local and presidential elections.

This event will be hosted in person at the Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI) in Dublin, and capacity is limited. Advanced registration is required.

Context: 2024 The Most Important Year for Democracy

2024 is the most significant election year in history. Approximately 60 countries representing more than half of the world's total population will elect their representatives in presidential, legislative and local elections across the globe. From South to North America, across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania, citizens will vote in the most ambitious year for democracy. In many countries, at the centre of the elections, amongst other topics, climate change, sustainability and climate transition will be part of the conversation that will decide the future of each country. The relevance of this year's elections deserves the facilitation of a space to highlight the work of the researchers and connect it with the broader society, including citizens, local authorities, politicians and academia, enabling a space for collaboration and conversation.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

MoLI – Museum of Literature Ireland, 86 Saint Stephen's Green, Dublin, Ireland