Case Study: Research Policy Interface Thematic Group
Ireland White Paper 2015 - Transition to a Low Carbon Energy Future
Academics and Institutional Affiliation:
Paul Deane (1), Brian Ó Gallachóir (1), Fionn Rogan (1), Alessandro Chiodi (1), and John Curtis (2)
1-Sustainability Institute, University College Cork, 2-Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)
Evidence of policy outcome referencing the role of the research:
Yes, Page 34 of the White Paper states that “During 2013, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG) commissioned the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and University College Cork (UCC) to provide technical advice and guidance on the development of a Low Carbon Roadmap for Ireland.”
Research undertaken that informed or underpinned the policy outcome:
The UCC work in collaboration with ESRI focused on developing Ireland’s first low carbon energy roadmap (i.e. identifying ways of achieving long term deep [80% - 95%] reductions in energy related CO2. Emissions).
This built on UCC’s peer reviewed research using the Irish TIMES energy systems model (Chiodi et al. 2015) that built future energy scenarios for Ireland an compared the results in terms of energy technology, energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Key learnings for you from this research-policy bridging process:
UCC academics met with Department officials over an eight week period of summer of 2015 to support the development of the White Paper, discussing energy security and energy affordability as well as emissions reduction. This engagement went beyond communicating research findings, but critically also about listening to the policy practitioners needs, and developing a clear understanding of the policy making process.
SDGs impacted:
SDG 7 & SDG 13
