Sustainable Development and Climate Action

The Council recognises the importance of Grounding the Recovery in Sustainable Development and supports a policy shift in ambition and action to reduce emissions and biodiversity loss.

NESC has integrated sustainable development research with its core work programme to foster synergies and integration across environmental, social and economic sustainable development. We receive annual research funding from the Department of Environment, Climate Action and Communications.

NESC is working on a number of significant projects in the area of sustainable development and climate action. These include:

• Agriculture and Climate Action: NESC was requested by Government in the Climate Action Plan 2021 to undertake research and engage on how to support a climate just transition in agriculture, with an aim to co-create solutions with a diversity of stakeholders including farmers and rural communities. A multi-stakeholder NESC working group was established to support and provide guidance on the work. This project will culminate in a new Council Report, to be published on 30th June 2023, and a tie-in launch event held in the Convention Centre Dublin.
• Natural Capital Accounting: Under the Climate Action Plan 2021, NESC has a role to provide advice on natural capital (nature) accounting frameworks. This will involve engagement and dialogue with key stakeholders to discuss how to progress natural capital accounting within the policy system. This project will begin later in 2022.
• Just Transition: NESC will continue to provide strategic advice and research on just transition in Ireland. This will include providing support in the development of suitable just transition indicators. This work will begin later in 2022.
• Placed-based research: Commissioned research from Dr Niamh Moore Cherry (UCD) and colleagues to explore place-based opportunities for policy and practice in transition through rural case studies will be published in the coming months.

Other recently completed work includes:

• Exploring the challenges and opportunities for climate and biodiversity on the island of Ireland with the publication of the Council Report on climate action and biodiversity as part of the Shared Island Project; Secretariat paper on the climate and biodiversity consultation and an Overview of Submissions;
• Projects focused on strengthening sustainability and resilience in cities and rural communities;
• Perspectives on microgeneration by visiting MISTRAL researcher Senni Määttä and Energy Transition Pathways by visiting MISTRAL research Alex Miller.
• Framing and driving policy action, including work on climate policy and just transition. NESC hosted the EEAC Annual Conference in October 2020.