It's time to share what is probably the most anticipated recording from the Institute's annual conference, which took place back in May at DCU St Patrick's Campus. Seán Ronayne brought a remarkable mix of tears, laughter, despair and hope to the conference. 👉 vimeo.com/1196422370/f...

Why wasn't winter rain stored to prevent summer water shortages? Piece by Dr Jenny Lawler of @dcuwaterinstitute.bsky.social for @rtebrainstorm.bsky.social. Read more: launch.dcu.ie/44UTVfk #RTEBrainstorm

Another snippet from the Institute’s annual conference, which took place back in May at DCU St Patrick's Campus. The recording of our first panel discussion, “How Did We Get Here?”, is now available. You can find it via the link below: 👉 vimeo.com/1196005676/2...

DCU Institute for Climate and Society 2026 - Panel #1

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We're continuing to share recordings from the Institute’s annual conference, held in May. Today, we’re highlighting the opening address delivered by our Director, Dr Diarmuid Torney, alongside Mia DiChiaro, the Institute’s Dancer-in-Residence. Full address HERE >

DCU Institute for Climate and Society 2026 - Welcome Address

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For those who were unable to attend the Institute’s annual conference in May, the video recordings are now available. They offer plenty of food for thought, particularly if the recent spell of unusually hot weather on the continent has prompted reflection on some of the challenges we face.

DCU Institute for Climate and Society 2026 - President Connolly

This is "DCU Institute for Climate and Society 2026 - President Connolly" by Kerbute Productions Ltd. on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

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It's been two weeks, but we're still reflecting on the 6th DCU Institute for Climate and Society Annual Conference. That's why, in this Friday’s newsletter, we’ll be sharing reflections from our moderators, the thoughts, questions, and insights that stayed with them while listening to our speakers.

Missed the DCU Institute for Climate and Society Annual Conference? Then you missed a room full of urgency, imagination, wonder, and hope, all coming together under this year's theme "holding the line" 🌍

What is hope when every day reminds us of the climate breakdown happening around us? Sean Ronayne taught us that hope is about wonder. “I saw my daughter waving with excitement at an ant. At some point along the line, we lose that ability to wave at ants. But we shouldn’t.”

President speaks at the @dcuclimate.bsky.social annual conference. #SpeirGorm

Change to address climate crisis 'not at required pace'

Transformative change to address the climate emergency is not happening fast enough, President Catherine Connolly has said.

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In 2019, Ireland formally declared a climate emergency. Since then, the transformative change required either didn't happen, or it was too slow and too small. These were the words of Ireland’s President, Catherine Connolly, for the DCU Institute for Climate and Society’s Sixth Annual Conference.

Our sixth annual conference just opened with a speech from Dr. Diarmuid Torney, Director of DCU Institute for Climate and Society. This year's theme is a call for more climate action. But it is also a chance to create a community and to bring together like-minded people. #DCUClimate2026

Looking forward to taking part in tomorrow’s Annual Conference of DCU’s Institute for Climate and Society @dcuclimate.bsky.social, where President Connolly will deliver the keynote address Will be discussing The Lie of the Land in a morning session on #Climate & farming.

It's Friday. And it's the last day you can register for the DCU Institute for Climate and Society Annual Conference. It's the sixth time we reunite in this format, and this year's theme is > Holding the Line: Climate Action in a Time of Crisis. Save a seat before it's too late. 👉 REGISTER

Holding the Line: Climate Action in a Time of Crisis

The Institute for Climate and Society Conference 2026

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We’ve recently marked Labour Day. In Ireland, it dates back to 1890, when Dubliners took to the streets demanding an eight-hour working day. Back then, the fight was for time. Today, it’s increasingly about conditions. Workers’ challenges are now shaped by the climate crisis.

We're proud to celebrate the launch of "Farming in Ireland – Crisis and Climate" by our colleague, Prof. Pat Brereton! 🌱📚 The book is a powerful oral history of farming in Pat’s native Offaly County, which brings farmers’ voices to the forefront of the vital debate on sustainable agriculture. #DCU

Have you had a chance to read our latest newsletter? The world is burning not only due to the climate crisis, but also due to war, so @dpmrobbins.bsky.social gives us an explanatory piece on the carbon cost of war. Maybe this is convincing enough to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. HERE >

Mary Lawlor @marylawlorhrds.bsky.social, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, delivers keynote address at DCU Institute for Climate and Society @dcuclimate.bsky.social annual conference. Read more here: launch.dcu.ie/4lQ77Ju #DCUClimate2025

To close off #DCUClimate2025, Institute for Climate & Society Co-Director Professor Pat Brereton offers some reflections on the day's events

In Lebanon, a guy being interviewed by @hannahmcccarthy.bsky.social objected to the term ‘seed bank’, because they hate the banks, which have recently collapsed. They call them ‘seed libraries’. #DCUClimate2025 @dcuclimate.bsky.social

@dpmrobbins.bsky.social: what does media get right and wrong in reporting on climate? @marcusstewart.bsky.social (Earth Horizon Productions): we need more climate literacy in newsrooms. Priyanka Borpujari (PhD student, DCU): we need to ask questions, listen to people's stories #DCUClimate2025

The panelists discuss their experiences of reporting on the climate front lines, noting the intersection of climate change with the social, political and economic. If you just write about climate change “you’re not getting the full story” - @hannahmcccarthy.bsky.social #DCUClimate2025

Our final panel of #DCUClimate2025: Reporting from the climate front lines

On the theme of this year's conference - activism, storytelling and the arts - up next is a poetry reading by poet and writer, Grace Wilentz, Writer-in-Residence at Notre Dame, Dublin #DCUClimate2025

AlanJames: the language used around climate issues “is devoid of any emotion” - let's think not of climate action but “climate love” Trish: “it absolutely needs to be all hands on deck” - let's each of us think: "well what the hell can I do with my few skills?" #DCUClimate2025

Thinking about climate science, art and activism @dcuclimate.bsky.social #DCUClimate2025 AlanJames Burns talks about the real impacts on disabled communities of climate change, and the lack of access to knowledge & nature. Dr Trish Morgan describes the importance of de-siloing.

@trishmorgan.bsky.social from DCU School of Communications challenges our use of the word 'art', which "puts a moniker" on something “intrinsically human” Rebecca Wilson of @researchireland.bsky.social highlights the need to "empower" the public by making research more accessible #DCUClimate2025

Artist, curator and festival maker AlanJames Burns, highlights the challenges faced by disabled and differently abled people in engaging in climate action - and how they are often forgotten in activism #DCUClimate2025

Dr Eileen Hutton, Artist and Head of Art and Ecology, Burren College of Art, discusses "how we read the landscape" - how we can foster place-based responses to environmental challenges #DCUClimate2025

Up next ▶️ our third panel of the day: Climate science, art and activism #DCUClimate2025