Noteworthy

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VANISHING PAST: Is Ireland's archaeological heritage at risk of disappearing?

Ireland

Protections for newly discovered national monuments have been radically reduced in the past decade and a half, since a 2004 amendment to the National Monuments Act. This change gave extra power to the State to remove them if they were in the way of certain projects such as motorways.

6 Backers raised €225 of €3420

Open

FUELLED BY NATURE: Will the rise in bioenergy have a negative impact on our climate ambitions?

Ireland

Bioenergy - from woody biomass, energy crops like willow, grasslands and farm waste - is already the main source of renewable energy in the EU. In Ireland, however, it currently makes up less than 5% of Ireland’s energy profile.

5 Backers raised €160 of €2475

Completed

ENDANGERED SPECIES: Can Ireland halt the decline of its precious biodiversity?

Ireland

Ireland’s biodiversity is under threat. According to a 2019 report, 85% of our EU protected habitats are in an “unfavourable” condition and 46% are showing ongoing decline.

59 Backers raised €1800 of €1800

Funded

PEAT'S SAKE: Why have authorities failed to tackle unlicensed industrial peat extraction?

Ireland

Protection of our peatlands has been described by experts as the low hanging fruit in tackling the dual climate and biodiversity crises.

76 Backers raised €2530 of €2530

Completed

CASH COW: Are subsidies encouraging unsustainable farming practices?

Ireland

The farm has a big role to play in the fight against climate change, yet experts argue that it is difficult to shift to a nature-friendly model while subsidies favour intensive production.

48 Backers raised €1150 of €1150

Completed

SHEAR FORCE: Why are hedgerows still being cut during the prohibited season?

Ireland

Every summer, social media streams are inundated with photos of roadside hedges decimated across the country even though it is illegal to cut them from 1 March to 31 August.

54 Backers raised €1655 of €1630

Open

LIVING IN THE SHADOW: What is the impact of wind farms on local communities?

Ireland

The government’s Climate Action Plan aims to increase reliance on renewables from 30% to 70%. Part of this drive would involve increasing renewable onshore wind energy capacity to a level that equates to introducing over 1,150 more wind turbines to the landscape.

12 Backers raised €290 of €2060

Completed

BANKS OF THE LEE: What is going to stop flooding in Cork city?

Cork

The Lee in Cork city has burst its banks on numerous occasions in the past and with sea levels set to rise due to climate change, concern is increasing about the need for better flood protection for its businesses and residents.

29 Backers raised €2900 of €2900

Completed

COST OF CARBON: Are companies paying their fair share on emissions?

Ireland

Ireland is exceeding its greenhouse gas emissions targets by millions of tonnes per year. It has been warned that it is not doing enough, quickly enough, to reduce that excess.

74 Backers raised €2050 of €2050

Completed

SOLVING SOLAR: Why are we not putting solar panels on the roof of every home in Ireland?

Ireland

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels use energy from the sun to create electricity. The price of these panels has dropped significantly over the past number of decades, so what is stopping households from installing them?

16 Backers raised €760 of €750