🌍 New in J. of Environmental Policy & Planning! Our study identifies the 5 biggest, interlinked barriers to environmental policy implementation in Ireland and proposes systematic fixes: Open Access read here: 🔗 doi.org/10.1080/1523... #EnvironmentalPolicy #Ireland #ClimateGovernance

Last night, my fellow Council of State members got to hear one of President Higgins' final speeches. It was particularly emotional taking this photo in front of Irl's first Council of State, noting how times have changed for us ladies in particular!

Yesterday, we welcomed George Marshall to University College Dublin for Earth Institute's public event on how to talk about climate change. Today, George joins my EPA Ireland project team to launch our Community of Practice Using Worldview to Inspire & Scale Climate Action (UWISCA).

For the record, I also had several media coaching sessions with Ivan Yates and it was the best media training I've ever had! Anyone who spent any time with IY knew he ran a business for the last few years doing this, so why is it a surprise to someone who worked with him regularly?

An extraordinary omission. Yes, policy is the domain of Gov, but climate is one area where a President, limited though their powers may be, could actually play a significant role, e.g. by mobilising community action and lifting the voices of people affected. 👏 @caugustenborg.bsky.social et al.

In honour of President Michael D. Higgins' last few days in the Aras, I popped into Newstalk studio to chat with Ciara Doherty, Gavin Duffy & Tadgh McNally about the President's legacy. How will Michael D Higgin’s Presidency be remembered? | Newstalk www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...

From Dr Cara Augustenborg, @hannahdaly.ie @autofac.bsky.social Prof John Sweeney and others. #ClimateEmergency www.irishtimes.com/environment/...

We fully agree @caugustenborg.bsky.social . @rte.ie has most especially failed children and young people on this issue. They should know what the next President's views are on the issue which will most shape their collective futures.

Fully agree. Especially upsetting for young people, especially those voting in their first election, not to see the next President asked about the issue that will most affect their futures. @rte.ie have let them down hugely.

I'm heart broken Ireland's national broadcaster stuck to same old 7 questions tonight on #áras25 presidential debate & avoided the climate question several of us begged them to ask. We learned nothing new of candidates' positions on major global/national challenges. RTE has failed the public.

Please email [email protected] to ask them to break the #ClimateSilence & ask the 2 candidates "How will you integrate climate change into your Presidency?” in the last TV debate on Tuesday I've done the research to make this easy @thejournal.ie www.thejournal.ie/readme/clima... #Aras25

I've listened to 3 presidential debates so far & learned nothing on candidates' position on climate. I've even emailed to ask them this & have yet to receive replies. Anyone else feel same? @rte.ie @virginmedianews.bsky.social @heatherhumphries.bsky.social @catherineconnolly.bsky.social

Just saw Pete Hegseth's ridiculous speech to US military and, for the first time since my father (USAF Colonel) died 5 years ago, I am relieved he is not alive to see what a mockery is being made of the the cause he dedicated his life too. 😔

This is a good summary of healing words of @barackobama.bsky.social in Dublin last night, but fails to mention what struck me most: #climatechange comprised at least 20% of the conversation & was first issue mentioned as priority for #ObamaFoundation. 💚 #BarackObama www.rte.ie/news/us/2025...

If you are at the National Ploughing Championship today, come say hello!

On the 20yr anniversary of #HurricaneKatrina, I dusted off my 2017 blog after my last trip to my former home of NOLA. It still holds up! www.caraaugustenborg.com/latest-news/...

Thank you @yurikageyama.bsky.social for a feel good story amid the gloom. I have a bug loving kid here in Ireland, but they seem to be a rare breed here! A culture of bug loving kids sounds like just what the world needs. 🐛🪲🐞

Actor Mandy Patinkin’s plea for Jews to consider how what Netanyahu’s Israeli government is doing to Gaza is not just harming Palestinians and killing kids — but also endangering Jews across the globe.

Good morning! ☀️ We are looking for a researcher (or research team) to support an exciting new report on how clean flexibility solutions can replace fossil gas. More info below 👇 Please share with your networks and/or names of any suitable candidates. Merci! beyondfossilfuels.org/about-us/wor...

🚨2 years after Irish gov launched €15m Shared Island sports club EV charger scheme, none have been fitted. Now a report warns the delays pose a ‘reputational risk’ to government climate initiatives @caugustenborg.bsky.social @irishnews.com @ucddublin.bsky.social www.irishnews.com/news/norther...

In today's Irish Times, my perspective as a former Fulbright scholar and current Programme Director for University College Dublin Environmental Policy MSc programme, where we are seeing significant increases in US/international applicant numbers this year. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...

Sign of the day…

Right Now, most of the American can relate to this message from the 90's.

Not so fun fact: Every hour a person spends in space emits the same climate harming pollution as 2,000-4,600 people on earth (source link below), but today I heard Katy Perry say "everyone should do this to help them love themselves" 🙄 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Here's a first look at sea surface temperature data from the new NOAA ERSSTv6 dataset... this animation shows the yearly anomalies over the last 100 years. Data available at www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb...

Holey moley.

Couldn't have picked a nicer day for a field trip with my UCD MSc Environmental Policy students! Thanks to Baron Randal Plunkett for the personal tour of his novel ecosystem & beautiful estate at Dunsany Castle- to inspire our own campus biodiversity efforts back home!

I knew it was bad, but not this bad. An entire road through the amazon built for the Climate COP! If anyone is wondering whether this might be the COP to avoid, I would say yes. www.bbc.com/news/article...

interesting to read a very strong case against liquified gas investments WITHOUT even talking about the dangers of climate breakdown: - running costs are enormous (and households pay) - doesn't prevent weather-related disruption - renewables are so cheap and fast they make it redundant

The rise and triumph of the fascist Idiocracy, brilliantly foretold in five frames by @tomtomorrow.bsky.social

Our final @epaireland.bsky.social-funded policy brief on administrative frictions in Climate Action Plans has just been published, examining the Shared Island Sports Clubs EV Charger Scheme launched in February 2023. To date, no chargers have been installed... 1/X publicpolicy.ie/environment/...

There are lessons to be learned from across the pond... #datacentres #Ireland

A climate ad at the #Superbowl was not on my bingo card! 👏👏

This article made me so sad for young people in Ireland. Their lives are uncertain & lacking in the joy & hope I remember from my 20s. One even mentioned uncertainty of climate change as a contributor. 1/2 www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Our second of three policy briefs, conducting "sludge audits" to assess the administrative frictions (i.e. "red tape") in schemes within Ireland's Climate Action Plan is live. This one looks at the Solar for Schools scheme to put solar panels on every school in IRL. publicpolicy.ie/environment/...

Yesterday, our UCD Environmental Policy MSc students toured our campus biodiversity initiatives to inspire their Spring trimester project for my Tools for Sustainable Development module, joined by surprise guest, Eamon Ryan - Frmr G'ment Minister for Climate, Environment & Transport (& UCD alum!).

RTÉ News has long had a well documented problem with its #climate coverage, but it has improved in recent times. However, as @caugustenborg.bsky.social reports, its coverage of Storm Éowyn has been problematic. www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

Not linking extreme weather and #StormEowyn damage to climate change in reporting was a missed opportunity. Even though we don’t yet know how much climate change turbocharged this event, this disruption is consistent with what we expect from a warming world.

I wasn't thrilled with RTE's reporting of #StormÉowyn wrt #climatechange last week... Thanks to @irishexaminer.bsky.social for letting me express my concerns on the costs of RTE's "muddled climate messaging" and why it matters so much here 1/2: www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...

My contribution to this week's @rte.ie #PrimeTime on what to expect from Trump's US Presidency from min. 5 here : www.rte.ie/player/serie...

Wow. Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde fearlessly calls out Trump and Vance to their faces. This is heroic. (posting in 3 parts due to Bluesky's 1 minute limit)

This morning, I was asked on RTE Countrywide to discuss Programme for G'ment. While I normally focus on my climate policy expertise, I felt a moral duty to raise significant concerns about lack of Government priorities to address biodiversity crisis. 1/x www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

Some thoughtful analysis of government commitments and action on climate. A great read. No clickbait, just good attention to the data. Love it!

I'll be on RTE Countrywide with @philipb-h.bsky.social from about 8:15 to talk about this week's Draft Programme for Government. Get the coffee on and join us! ☕️ www.rte.ie/radio/radio1...

No one has been tracking Programme for Governments as closely as Cara over the years. Great insights 👇

My reflections from a decade of climate politics in Ireland, including manifestos, Programmes for Government, elections, report cards - and even thoughts on Eamon Ryan's legacy as he leaves politics... all in this Earth Comment for UCD's Earth Institute www.ucd.ie/earth/commen...

This is the most comprehensive media analysis of environmental commitments in the Draft Programme for Government that I've read so far. My 2025 comms prediction: "Climate cakeism" (c/o @oisinc.bsky.social ) becomes the successor buzz word to "climate laggard" (also c/o Oisin Coghlan!)

Good summary of opinions on the environment & climate commitments within Ireland's newly published draft Programme for Government care of @thejournal.ie. My take home: "It was more than I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting much." 1/2 www.thejournal.ie/programme-fo...

It is a good time to remember that human history has been most defined not by progress but by struggle, and our job is to find our place in the struggle, not lament that we cannot enjoy a life of luxury — for this never was, and never will be, what it means to be fully alive.