Posted on July 20, 2022
Cork County Council and the MaREI Research Centre have been awarded €10m in collaboration with international partners to battle climate change.
The group has been funded for a project to employ nature-based systems to boost resilience to climate change and to mitigate its impacts in coastal areas.
The four-year long Horizon Europe project, called A-AAGORA, will be implemented with the support of the Atlantic Seaboard South Climate Adaption Regional Office (CARO).
A-AAGORA will involve collaboration with coastal communities and citizen scientists. Using pilot sites along the coast from Youghal to Barleycove, the project will provide both practical and best-practice examples of new and innovative coastal management techniques which aim to deliver nature-based solutions to assist marine ecosystem restoration and biodiversity protection.
The project is in collaboration with partners from Germany, France, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Romania and the UK.
Mayor of Cork County, Cllr. Danny Collins said: “Coastal resilience is vitally important. As a coastal county with responsibility for 19% of the country’s coastline, Cork County Council plays a critical role in the management of coastal environments and climate adaption. On behalf of the council, I am looking forward to working closely with local, national and international partners on this exciting project.”
MaREI, based in Ringaskiddy, is a Science Foundation Ireland-funded research centre for energy, climate and marine research and innovation co-ordinated by the Environmental Research Institute at University College Cork (UCC). The centre comprises of more than 220 researchers focusing on defined global challenges such as the energy transition, climate action and the blue economy.
The CARO office supports and coordinates climate actions undertaken by the five Local Authorities of Clare, Limerick, Kerry, Cork City and County. The office is funded by the Department of Climate Action, Communication Networks and Transport and is hosted by Cork County Council as the lead authority within the Southern Region.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey, said: “Cork County Council is committed to building climate resilience into every aspect of the work we do. We have a strong leadership role in delivering effective climate action.
“This project will help guide County Cork and other coastal regions throughout the EU to address the challenges together while developing innovative and sustainable solutions that address adaptation and importantly enhance our resilience to a changing climate.”
