Funding of half a million euro has been introduced for research into the cultural, heritage and climate sector by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Both the department and EPA will be paying €250,000 each “to mobilise researchers across Europe and more widely to engage in collaborative research projects”.
The research projects will address three themes:
- The impact of climate change on cultural heritage;
- Cultural heritage as a resource for climate mitigation and adaptation;
- Sustainable solutions for cultural heritage.
Announcing the funding, Minister of State for heritage and electoral reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, said:
“Collaboration is essential in addressing the urgent challenges that climate change poses to our cultural heritage.
“Ireland will continue to play its part in international efforts to address this and our funding of €250,000 to this research call is a sign of our commitment.”
EPA research
Dr. Eimear Cotter, director of evidence and assessment at the EPA said: “Cultural heritage is increasingly recognised as an essential part of the dialogue on climate change.
“The EPA, together with DHLGH [Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage], is delighted to support the participation of the Irish research community in this opportunity, which will fund projects to build international partnerships and generate knowledge relevant to addressing climate change.”
This research funding call is jointly organised between the Joint Programming Initiatives Cultural Heritage and Global Change (JPI CH), Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe (JPI Climate), and the Belmont Forum.
EPA represents Ireland in JPI Climate and will lead on Ireland’s participation in the call.
Overall, more than €15 million funding is available under the research call through international partners in: Austria; Belgium; Czech Republic; France; Ireland; Italy; Lithuania; the Netherlands; Norway; Switzerland; Spain; Thailand; Turkey; the UK; and the US.