News for: Environment, Development, And Sustainability

Whitaker Institute member Dr Maura Farrell says that women in rural economies, in agriculture or in small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are probably one of the most untapped potentials in rural development. Dr Farrell was speaking at the recent ‘Rural Ireland: Our Long-term Vision’ at the Irish Rural Link 30th anniversary conference. More from Agriland.ie.

A new study, led by Whitaker Institute member Dr Shane Conway, of the Environment, Development and Sustainability cluster, has found striking similarities between farmers in Ireland and the United States (US) when it comes to retirement and succession. Read more from Agriland.ie.

Whitaker Institute member Dr Shane Conway, of the Environment, Development and Wellbeing cluster, has been featured in a new article from Agriland.ie. The piece looks at the need for a dedicated organisation for older farmers. To read the article, click here.

Whitaker Institute member Dr Maura Farrell, of the Environment, Development and Sustainability Cluster, spoke to the Irish Examiner and Irish Farmers Journal about female farm holders, women engaged in agricultural education, and Teagasc’s recently published first Gender Equality Plan, and more.

Globally, policy aimed at stimulating generational renewal in agriculture tends to pay limited regard to the mental health and wellbeing of the older farmer, overlooking their identity and social circles, which are intertwined with their occupation and farm. This study, in probing this contentious issue, casts its net across what could be deemed as disparate… | Read on »

Whitaker Institute member Dr Doris Laepple, of the Environment, Development and Sustainability Cluster, has written a new article for RTÉ Brainstorm. The piece looks at the challenges for farmers in reducing agricultural emissions. What’s stopping Irish farmers implementing climate action changes? Analysis: a number of behavioural barriers provide a challenge for farmers in terms of… | Read on »

Whitaker Institute member Dr Doris Laepple, of the Environment, Development and Sustainability Cluster, spoke to Agriland.ie about her recent research which found GHG emission intensity per kilogramme (kg) of milk produced decreased by 13% between 2000 and 2017. Read more here.

Limited uptake of financial incentives, designed to confront global trends of an ageing farming population and low levels of land mobility (i.e. transfer of land from one farmer to another, or from one generation to the next), reveal resistance or at best ambivalence, amongst farmers towards altering existing farm management and ownership structures in later… | Read on »

Researchers from nine European countries will explore energy citizenship across Europe Researchers from nine European countries – Ireland, Belgium, Latvia, Hungary, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Spain and Bulgaria start a three-year project EnergyPROSPECTS to explore the various and challenging aspects of energy citizenship across Europe. The partners will work with citizens communities, businesses and decision-makers… | Read on »

Across the island of Ireland, domestic consumption levels have increased dramatically in the past three decades, making sustainable consumption a key challenge for policy makers. To date, public discourse has focused primarily on minimum levels of consumption but there has been a complete dearth of discussion around the concept of maximum levels of consumption. Our… | Read on »