Universities and Local Authorities Join Forces to Accelerate Climate Action

On May 8th, leaders in climate action, research, and governance came together at Kilkenny Castle for a high-impact event focused on the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in supporting local government to address climate challenges and identify co-benefits.

Hosted as part of the All-Island Local Authority Forum, the event—HEIs and Local Government: Partnering for Planetary Solutions—brought together university researchers and educators, local authority leaders, policymakers, and sustainability networks to strengthen cross-border collaboration on climate action and the SDGs.

Ian Jeffers, CEO of Co-operation Ireland, launch the event by setting the tone for an ambitious and collaborative agenda. Session One, chaired by Barry Quinlan from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), featured a keynote from Ambassador David Donoghue, co-lead of inter-governmental negotiations on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, who addressed the origins of the SDGs, current status and the post-2030 sustainable development agenda.  David also serves as SDSN Ireland’s Executive Committee Chair. 

A UK case study from Dr. Sean Fox of the University of Bristol showcased their pioneering city-level Voluntary Local Review process in Bristol, England to capture challenges and opportunities of accessing SDG implementation progress at a local level with student engagement.

A key highlight was a presentation by Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, Deputy Vice-Chair of SDSN Ireland, who outlined the critical role universities can play in supporting local authorities with evidence-based research, systems thinking, and community engagement to deliver on climate and SDG targets, and he presented several case studies of successful projects.

The second session, chaired by Sonya Kavanagh (Kildare County Council), showcased local innovation with a joint presentation from Dr. Richard Manton (University of Galway and SDSN Ireland member) and Tiarnan McCusker (Galway City Council), illustrating how HEIs and councils can co-create impactful sustainability initiatives. Dr. John Barimo, Manager of SDSN Ireland, also spoke to enhancing existing University – Local Authority collaborations for climate action and SDG implementation.  His presentation included a high resolution geo-spatial data with SDG indicators that align the needs of urban and rural communities in an effort to align research results and local authority actions across the island, ie, evidence for public policy.

In a dynamic afternoon panel discussion chaired by Professor Ó Gallachóir, local government and academic leaders including Breda Maher (CARO), John Kelpie (Derry & Strabane), AnnMarie Farrelly (Fingal), Professor Ian Montgomery (Ulster University and SDSN Ireland member), and Dr. Rob Mooney (DECC) reflected on the future needs of local authorities. Discussions emphasized the need for more integrated partnerships, co-designed training and policy support, and a culture shift in how councils collaborate with universities.

Closing remarks by Lar Power, Chief Executive of Kilkenny County Council and Co-Chair of the All-Island Local Authority Forum, highlighted the shared sense of purpose emerging from the day: to turn research into action and partnerships into progress.

The All-Island Local Authority Forum is a strategic partnerhip comprised of five Chief Executives from SOLACE Northern Ireland and five Chief Executives from The County and City Management Association (CCMA) in Ireland. This event was a partnership of SOLACE NI, the CCMA, the Irish Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, University of Galway, University College Cork, Queen’s University Belfast and SDSN Ireland. SDSN Ireland is proud to support this work and will continue to help bridge academic expertise and local climate leadership across the island.

Learn more at www.sdsnireland.ie and www.cooperationireland.org.