Following the research funding announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week, Dr Anu Priyadarshini of the School of Business, Maynooth University, along with her collaborators in DCU, MTU, UCC and UCD will receive €1.32 million to fund two research projects aimed at addressing climate and environmental challenges.
This first of the projects ‘JusTace’ is a comprehensive initiative aimed at supporting and scaling the ‘just transition’ to the circular economy, a transition that aims for a climate-neutral economy while securing the future and livelihoods of communities.
As part of the project, Dr Priyadarshini will identify key existing circular business and collaborative consumption models, particularly those relating to the agri-food system. These models will be systematically evaluated for effectiveness, and successful practices and indicators will be shared widely to enhance peer learning and knowledge transfer.
The second project titled ‘RefineTEXT’ looks to develop a Sustainable Biorefinery System for Textile Waste in Ireland. Speaking on the project Dr Priyadarshini said:
RefineTEXT aims to conduct environmental, social and economic assessment of the entire bioconversion process of textile waste to quantify the associated greenhouse gas emissions. Exploring the textile waste generation landscape and identifying the relationship between the implementation of the related circular economy policies and legislation, and climate mitigation and adaption, pertaining to textile waste in Ireland RefineTEXT will develop a roadmap for repurposing circular material from textile waste for creating sustainable businesses.
While tackling two distinct and pressing issues, both projects focus on facilitating a green and circular bioeconomy to address societal, climate and environmental challenges.