Interest in climate resilience
Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) has unique climate adaptation expertise within the region. It delivers the Climate Northern Ireland Programme (Climate NI) which aims to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change and the actions necessary to address these. Climate NI is funded by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. NIEL has also gained adaptation expertise through projects, including the Interreg VB CLIMATE project. CLIMATE enabled NIEL to support Derry City and Strabane District Council develop the first local council climate change adaptation plan in NI.
Building on this project, Climate NI has recently formed the Local Government Climate Action Network (LGCAN), which facilitates a coordinated approach to adaptation across local government in NI. The network provides a central point to access adaptation tools and resources, data and relevant stakeholders.
In addition, NIEL is a partner in the Transboundary Adaptation Learning Exchange Project (TalX). TalX aims to establish an innovative learning network working across NI, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales and is an Irish EPA funded research project. The Climate NI steering group provides guidance and advice to all adaptation work and includes representatives from across Local and National Government, private, academic and voluntary organisations.
Motivation for being involved in the scheme
Northern Ireland needs transformational change to be resilient in the future. Now is a crucial time as we finally have a Climate Bill in motion and a time limited opportunity to influence its development and implementation. Our Climate Change Adaptation Plan is also undergoing review in 2022 so the timing will influence its impact.
The TalX project allows us to share learning across the UK and beyond and we would love to build Climate Capacity here and strengthen networks and partnerships. We have recently partnered with Cardiff University to build on their research into public perception of Climate Risk and Resilience (RESIL_RISK) across GB applying it to NI. We love building more academic links and join more UK wide and beyond projects to develop both our evidence base using best practice methodology and learning and sharing with others.
Covid brings the opportunity for researchers to be more open to working remotely and widens our reach to experts who would like a challenge and opportunity to make a real difference during an embedded year. The person will also be able to link into our other networks and our team and this will impact on us and the researcher beyond the year.
Ideas for research topics or knowledge brokering activities
There is lots to do here so we are open to suggestions too to expand your research to Northern Ireland! The two ideas we are focusing on below are about building evidence to influence decision makers in developing policy and influencing action and also better storytelling to raise Climate Adaptations profile here, build capacity and aid decision making. We are open to part-time/full time researchers either on site or remote and please contact us to shape potential proposals so they will have most impact here and also use your skill set.
- Costing Climate Risks and Adaptation Actions
We are looking for an economist or similar to cost examples of the Climate Risks for Northern Ireland (using the latest evidence from the Climate Change Risk Technical Report published in June 2021). This will build the evidence base and the researcher will have the opportunity to work with the Climate NI Team and others and present the results to Government to influence Actions within the NICCAP and other policy. We are particularly interested in costing actions to ensure a just transition and ensuring our most vulnerable are not impacted the most by the Climate Crisis.
- Telling better Stories to influence Action
We are looking for a storyteller (visual and or narrative) who can help with behaviour change and influence decision makers to understand and take Climate Adaptation Action. This will start with review of best practice and what works to influence change building on existing work and then using the results from the NI Resil Risk Survey help us develop Written/Visual/Other Narratives around Climate Risk and Action Scenarios and a Coms Strategy to influence behaviour change of the public and/or decisionmakers. This will feed into developing the actions for the NICCAP and how they are communicated for most impact.
Get in touch with Climate Northern Ireland
Researchers who would like to discuss this Embedded Researcher pitch with Climate Northern Ireland should contact Dr Jade Berman on jade@ClimateNorthernIreland.org.uk
Back to the Embedded Researchers funding page