Lorna Gold

About

I am originally from Scotland and have had a passion for climate justice and sustainable development from an early age. I did a PhD in Economic Geography at Glasgow University, which was subsequently published as The Sharing Economy - part of the Ashgate Series in Economic Geography. The thesis was the first ever to coin the phrase “sharing economy”. I went on to do post-docs in the University of York, being the recipient of the Joseph Rowntree Millennial Fellowship and an ESRI Post-Doctoral Fellowship. These fellowships resulted in significant papers from my PhD and subsequent early research.

In 2002 I move to Ireland with a desire to gain more experience working in the areas of public policy research. I took up a role with Trócaire as Policy Analyst, editing the Trócaire Development Review – Ireland’s only peer reviewed journal on International Cooperation at the time. I then progressed to lead Trócaire’s Policy, Research and Advocacy for almost two decades, leading a number of high profile research and advocacy project on climate justice and sustainable development . Perhaps the most significant project was “Feeling the Heat – How Climate Change is Driving Weather in the Developing World”, produced in collaboration with ICARUS. This led to the major conference on Climate Justice in Maynooth University in 2015.
I now work part-time in Maynooth University and also as an independent consultant on climate justice. On campus, I am actively involved in the Green Campus movement. I am also active in public debates and am currently vice-chair of the board of the Global Catholic Climate Movement, the movement set up to implement Pope Francis teaching on the environment globally. Until March 2020 I was a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on the National Climate Dialogue. I am currently a member of the recently established Vatican Commission on the post-COVID world. My most recent book Climate Generation – Awakening to our Children’s Future seeks to present climate science and crisis in a non-technical, engaging way through my own personal story of waking up to the ecological emergency as a mother, academic and activist.

Teaching
I am interested in the connections between all areas of public policy, particularly in light of the climate crisis. For the past three years I have been teaching a final year module SP310 on Environment, Sustainability and Social Justice.
The Learning Objectives of the course are:
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of key concepts of economic and social development, environmental sustainability and social justice
• Discuss the national and international policy context for sustainable development in general, and climate change in particular
• Understand the policy implications of addressing the climate crisis in terms of “just transition” and “green new deal”
• Demonstrate insight into the relationship between environmental sustainability and social justice with reference to relevant case studies nationally and internationally

Research
During my time in Trócaire, I worked primarily in areas of applied research interests, including international cooperation; sustainable development goals; climate justice and just transition.
My academic research interests are now focused on the areas of just transition, Irish and international environmental civil society movements, and the role of faith groups in climate activism.

Publications
Peer Reviewed Publications
· Gold, L (forthcoming) The Changing Faces of the Irish Climate Movement In Tourney, D and D Robbins, eds, Ireland and Climate Change (Springer Nature)
· Gold, L et al (2016) Climate Change and Development, pp. 166-189, In 80:20: Development In an Unequal World (New Internationalist, Oxford)
· Gold, L (2017) Are International Development NGOs feeding a Conspiracy of Silence on Climate injustice? Development – Special Issue on Climate Justice
· Gold, L (2013) ‘The Economy of Communion’, in Bruni, L and S Zamagni (eds) The Handbook on the Economics of Reciprocity and Social Enterprise, Elgar Original Reference Series, Elgar.
· Gold, L and Connolly, E (2006) The UN and Development: Challenges and Opportunities Irish Journal of International Studies
· Gold, L (2004) The Sharing Economy: Solidarity Networks Transforming Globalisation (Ashgate: London).
· Gold, L (2004) ‘The Economy of Communion: A case study of NGDO-business partnership’ Development in Practice, 14, 5, pp. 633-644.
· Gold, L (2003) ‘Small enterprises at the service of the poor: the Economy of Sharing Network International Journal of Entrepreneurial Research and Behaviour 9, 5, pp.166-184
· Gold, L (2003) ‘Positionality, worldview and geographical research: a personal account of a research journey’ Ethics, Place and Environment 5, 3: 223-237.
· Gold, L (2003) ‘The Focolare Movement’s economic ethic’ Markets and Morality Spring
· Gold, L (2003) Review Essay ‘The Amoral Elephant’ Millennium: Journal of International Relations 31, 713-715.
· Gold, L (2003) Case Study: the Economy of Communion International Journal of Mission Studies
· Gold, L (2002) Review Essay ‘Globalisation for the common good’ Markets and Morality Fall 2002.

Policy Reports and Book Chapters
· Gold, L (2016) Laudato Si – the Disruptive Power of a ‘Dangerous’ Book, in McDonagh, S (Ed) Laudato SI: An Irish Response (Veritas, Dublin)
· Trócaire (2016) The Burning Question Trócaire Research Report
· Trócaire (2014) Feeling the Heat – How Climate Change is Leading to Extreme Weather in the Developing World Trócaire Research Report
· Trócaire (2013) My Rights Beyond 2013 Trócaire Research Report
· Trócaire (2011) Leading Edge 2020 Trócaire Research Report
· Gold, L (2007) Globalisation, the Common Good and Catholic Social Teaching, In Reynolds, B and S Healy (eds) Values, Catholic Social Thought and Public Policy, CORI Justice pp. 34-86
· Gold, L (2006) Witnessing to Solidarity and Justice in the World: Trócaire’s Contribution to the Church’s Mission Today, In Putti, J (ed) Time for Change: Connecting the Good News with Contemporary Culture, (Veritas, Dublin).
· Trócaire (2006) Towards the Global Common Good, Trócaire Report prepared for the Bishops’ Conference (Veritas: Dublin).
· Gold, L (2005) More than a Numbers Game? Ensuring that the Millennium Development Goals address Structural Injustice, Trócaire/CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis Position Paper.
· Gold, L (2004) ‘Values, Ethics and Principles’, Chapter 2; ‘The role of nation states and regional actors’, Chapter 3.2 Global Governance CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis
· Gold, L (2003) Humanising the Global Economy In Ethics and Values: Can I make a difference? Veritas, Dublin
· Gold, L (2003) Seven Steps towards the Millennium Development Goals: a Development Agenda for the Irish EU Presidency Trócaire Briefing Paper, July
· Gold, L (2003) Addressing Europe’s Global Responsibilities: Development Co-operation and the EU Convention CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis Briefing Paper, March

Books and edited volumes
· Gold, L (2018) Climate Generation – Awakening to our Children’s Future Veritas: Dublin; NCP: New York
· Gold, L (2010) New Financial Horizons: The Emergence of an Economy of Communion NCP: New York.
· Gold, L (ed) (2008) Climate Justice and Poverty Eradication Trócaire Development Review 2008
· Gold, L (ed) (2007) Gender and Development Trócaire Development Review 2007
· Gold, L (ed) (2006) Governance and Development Trócaire Development Review 2006
· Gold, L and Leen, M (eds) (2005) Ethical Globalisation (Veritas: Dublin).
· Gold, L (ed) (2005) Challenges in Meeting the Millennium Goals Trócaire Development Review 2005
· Leen, M, Cossick, V and Gold, L (eds) (2003) The Reality of HIV/AIDS (Veritas: Dublin).
· Gold, L (ed) (2004) NGOs in Conflict Prevention and Peace-building Trócaire Development Review 2003
· Gold, L (ed) (2003) Perspectives on Global Governance Trócaire