An t-athrú aeráide á iniúchadh go géar ag scoláirí Mhá Nuad
Ar an 7 Bealtaine, tháinig beagnach 100 alumnus de chuid Mhá Nuad le chéile chun éisteacht leis na torthaí taighde is déanaí á gcur i láthair ag painéal d’eolaithe aeráide ó Roinn Tíreolaíochta na hollscoile, roinn a bhfuil aitheantas idirnáisiúnta bainte amach aici.
Rinne an painéal plé ar na himpleachtaí a bhaineann leis an athrú aeráide, agus dhírigh súil ghéar orthu siúd atá ciontach sa téamh dromchla. I measc bhaill an phainéil bhí an tOllamh Emeritus John Sweeney, a bhí ar fhoireann an Phainéil Idir-rialtasaigh ar an Athrú Aeráide, a ghnóthaigh Duais Nobel in 2007.
Téama lárnach a bhí ag an ngrúpa ná na slite iomadúla ina n-imríonn an dlús daonra i gceantair uirbeacha tionchar ar an aeráid áitiúil, réigiúnach agus dhomhanda agus a thábhachtaí atá sé dul i ngleic le cúinsí cultúrtha a chuireann bac orainn athruithe a dhéanamh i bhfianaise an athraithe aeráide.
Is in ionad tionóil Ché an Adhmaid de chuid Chomhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath a bhí an ócáid ar siúl. Beirt a bhí i gceannas ar an ócáid: an Dr Jan Rigby, ar Ceann Roinne í agus scoláire a dhéanann staidéar ar an tionchar a bhíonn ag an athrú aeráide ar shláinte, agus Rebecca Doolin, Stiúrthóir Caidreamh Seachtrach. Bhí plé painéil ann á stiúradh ag Paul Melia, Comhfhreagraí Comhshaoil an Irish Independent agus alumnus ón mbliain 1997. Ar na cainteoirí eile a bhí ann, sa bhreis ar an Ollamh Sweeney, bhí an tOllamh Peter Thorne, an Dr Rowan Fealy, agus an Dr Conor Murphy.
Ba é Uachtarán Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, an tOllamh Philip Nolan, a d’oscail an ócáid agus a d’fhógair scoláireacht nua dar luach €5,000 in ómós don Ollamh Sweeney. Cabhróidh an scoláireacht – Scoláireacht Alumni Iarchéime John Sweeney don Léann Athrú Aeráide, arna urrú ag Banc na hÉireann – le hiarchéimí de chuid Mhá Nuad tabhairt faoi bhreisoideachas i réimse an athraithe aeráide.
Míníodh don lucht éisteachta an ríthábhacht a bhaineann le dearadh cathracha ó thaobh laghdú astúcháin charbóin de, bíodh is go ndearnadh neamhshuim ann go dtí seo, mórán mór. Tá an-éagsúlacht sa dlús daonra ó chathair go chéile, rud a chruthaíonn aeráidí faoi leith i suíomhanna uirbeacha. Bíodh is gur cathair cuibheasach beag atá i mBaile Átha Cliath, is ‘Oileán Teasa Uirbeach’ é ach oiread le formhór na gcathracha eile. Braitheann déine an teasa ar dhlús na bhfoirgneamh.
Chuir an Dr Rowan Fealy síos ar a chuid oibre ar chlár fadtéarmach monatóireachta i gceantar uirbeach ina n-oibríonn eolaithe de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad i gcomhar le comhghleacaithe sa Choláiste Ollscoile BÁC. Tomhaiseann siad astúcháin dé-ocsaíd charbóin a éiríonn aníos as cathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. Is é is cúis le formhór na n-astúchán sin ná gníomhaíochtaí geilleagracha sa chathair agus an fuinneamh a úsáidtear i gcomhair iompair agus riachtanais téimh agus soilsithe.
Dúirt an Dr Fealy go bhfágann na cathracha ‘méarlorg daonna’ ar an aeráid ar scálaí éagsúla agus go ngéaróidh ar an gceist seo san am atá le teacht.
“Níl sna ceantair uirbeacha ach timpeall 3% de chlár na cruinne, ach is iad is cúis le breis agus 70% de na hastúcháin gáis cheaptha teasa a eascraíonn as úsáid fuinnimh. Méadaíonn siad faoi 1% ar an bhfuinneamh atá i gcóras atmaisféir an domhain. Mar sin de, má dhéanaimid bonneagar ár gcuid cathracha a phleanáil agus a dhearadh mar is cuí beimid in ann na hathruithe a mheastar atá le teacht ar an chóras aeráide a mhaolú.”
Chuir an tOllamh Peter Thorne an taighde is déanaí atá déanta aige i láthair. Rinne sé scagadh ar na mínithe éagsúla atá curtha ar fáil maidir leis an hiatas sa téamh domhanda. Dúirt sé gur rídheacair cúis aonair amháin a aithint.
Maidir leis an Dr Conor Murphy, baineann an obair is déanaí uaidh leis na pobail sin i nDeisceart an Domhain is mó a mbeidh tionchar ag an athrú aeráide orthu. Le samplaí óna chuid oibre i gceantair tuaithe sa tSaimbia agus sa Mhaláiv, labhair sé faoina thábhachtaí atá sé teacht ar thuiscint ar an tionchar a bhíonn ag traidisiúin agus cultúr nuair a bhítear ag iarraidh athruithe a dhéanamh i bhfianaise an athraithe aeráide.
I ndeireadh na hócáide, rinne an tOllamh John Sweeney iniúchadh ar “lotnaidí agus polasaithe”. Dúirt sé go mbeidh ar mhuintir na hÉireann déileáil le lotnaidí agus speicis ionracha a bheidh níos gníomhaí ná riamh. Beidh tionchar aige sin ar bharraí fadtréimhse, amhail crainn. Chaith sé súil chun cinn ar na cainteanna aeráide atá le bheith i bPáras agus thug dúshlán lucht ceaptha polasaithe “féinleas náisiúnta” a chur ar leataobh ar mhaithe le leas an phláinéid.
2015 Alumni Geography Lecture
Maynooth scholars put forensic spotlight on climate change
On the 7th of May, nearly 100 Maynooth alumni gathered to hear the latest research findings from a panel of climate scientists in the university’s internationally recognised Geography Department.
The panel, which included Emeritus Professor John Sweeney, a member of the 2007 Nobel Prize Winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change team, addressed different implications of climate change, putting a forensic spotlight on the culprits behind surface warming.
A central theme for the group were the myriad ways in which urban population density puts a unique human fingerprint on the local, regional and global climate and the importance of addressing cultural barriers to adapting to climate change.
L-R Rebecca Doolin, Director of External Relations, Maynooth University; Dr. Rowan Fealy of Maynooth University; Maynooth Universty Prof John Sweeney; Dr Jan Rigby, Head of the Maynooth University Geography Dept; Maynooth University President, Prof Philip Nolan; Dr Conor Murphy and Prof Peter Thorne of Maynooth University
Held at the Wood Quay venue of Dublin City Council, the event was led by Dr Jan Rigby, Head of Department and scholar on the impact of climate change and health, and Director of External Relations, Rebecca Doolin, with a panel discussion moderated by Irish Independent Environment Correspondent and 1997 alumnus, Paul Melia. In addition to Prof Sweeney, other speakers included Professor Peter Thorne, Dr Rowan Fealy, and Dr Conor Murphy.
Maynooth University President, Prof Philip Nolan, opened the event by announcing the creation of a new €5,000 scholarship to honour Prof Sweeney. The John Sweeney Post-Graduate Alumni Scholarship for Climate Change, sponsored by Bank of Ireland, will support a Maynooth graduate pursuing further education in the field of climate change.
The audience heard how the design of cities is a crucial factor which has been largely ignored in the battle over global carbon emissions. The contrast of population density across cities is generating distinct climates within the urban setting and despite its relatively small size internationally, Dublin has an ‘Urban Heat Island’ characteristic of most cities, the intensity of which is related to building density.
Dr Rowan Fealy discussed his work on a long-term urban monitoring programme in which, scientists at Maynooth University, along with colleagues at UCD, have been measuring carbon dioxide emissions arising from the landscape in Dublin city. These emissions largely arise from the economic activity of the city associated with energy use from transport and heating and lighting requirements.
Dr Fealy said that cities impart a distinct and measurable ‘human fingerprint’ on climate at various scales, an issue that will escalate.
“While urban areas occupy only about 3% of the total land surface of the earth, they are responsible for more than 70% of energy related greenhouse gas emissions and contribute an additional 1% of energy to the earth’s atmosphere system,” he said. “Therefore, cities represent a very real opportunity to mitigate the effects of future projected changes in the climate system through appropriate planning and design of our city infrastructure.”
Meanwhile, Professor Peter Thorne discussed his latest research, which delves into recent explanations of the hiatus in planetary warming, saying that efforts to identify a single culprit are fraught with problems.
Dr Conor Murphy’s recent work focuses on rural communities in the Global South that will be most affected by climate change. Specifically, he spoke about the importance of understanding the impact of traditions and culture when addressing ways to adapt to climate change, using lessons from his work in rural Zambia and Malawi.
Finally, Prof John Sweeney explored the intersection of “pests and policies,” how Ireland in particular will be forced to cope with new and more active pests and invasive species, and the impact for long term crops such as trees. He also looked ahead to upcoming climate talks in Paris and challenged policy leaders to put aside “national self-interest” for the good of the planet.