Conor Dowling
“Through NBS EduWORLD, Offaly County Council has used the Learning Units to inform our staff and the wider public about the value of nature-based solutions.”
John McNally, Climate Action Officer, Offaly County Council
Project Name: Nature’s Role in Ireland’s Climate Future
Problem addressed by the research
Irish communities face the challenge of integrating environmentally sustainable alternatives with community engagement, education and policy support. A key aspect of realising the vision of more sustainable communities is the adoption of naturebased solutions (NBS). NBS are actions that work with and enhance nature to address societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, flood risk, and wellbeing, while delivering multiple environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Project description
By collaborating directly with Offaly County Council (OCC), this EU-funded project seeks to embed NBS into local communities through education, stakeholder participation, and system innovation. Dr Conor Dowling is the TCD PI for the project which brings together experts from a broad range of specialties (engineering, social sciences, and public management), public policymakers, professional associations, consumers, community groups, NGOs and citizens. These experts represent 15 diverse partners from across Europe, including Horizon Nu, European Schoolnet (EUN), Public Policy and Management Institute (PPMI), ICLEI Europe, and Centre for Experiments in Urban Studies (CEUS).
Project outcomes so far
- Policy integration: Offaly’s Climate Action Plan 2024-2029 now includes a full chapter on nature-based solutions.
- Local communities: The current deployment phase of the NBS learning material involves NGO-partnered training programmes, providing sustainable entrepreneurial skills to people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Local government: The Local Authority Water Programme (LAWPRO) plans to replicate the Offaly model, enabling impact across Ireland’s local government system.
- Stakeholder engagement: Workshops held with Offaly stakeholders demonstrate meaningful shifts in attitudes, showing broad support for integrating NBS in Council services.