Environment « Thurles Information

TUS Tipperary Campuses Awarded ‘Green Flag’.

TUS Tipperary Campuses awarded Green Flag as world leaders gather for COP26.

As world leaders gathered for COP26 in Glasgow, the Tipperary campuses of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, gathered to raise the An Taisce Green Flag in Clonmel and Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

**Pictured L-R** **in Thurles**: **Mr Michael John O’Mahony *(**An Taisce Environmental Education Unit**)*, Seamus Hoyne *(**Head of TUS Thurles campus**)* and Professor Vincent Cunnane** **(President of TUS**).

The green flag, [which was presented today (Tuesday) to students and staff at the TUS Thurles Campus, and yesterday (Monday) to staff and students at the Clonmel Digital Campus,] recognises the efforts of the campus communities in reducing waste and increasing recycling as part of the Green Campus Programme.

The programme is an international environmental education and award scheme that promotes long-term, whole institution action for the environment, and empowers both students and staff to create a more balanced campus community, by reducing environmental impacts and associated costs.

Congratulating the staff and students of both campuses, President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane, said that TUS is committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which underpins the strategy of the Thurles Campus.

Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “This Green Flag is a physical demonstration of our commitment to the SDGs and raising it today is a great milestone. It is also fitting that we are raising this Green Flag in the first week of COP26. The climate crisis and biodiversity crisis is challenging all leaders in society to radically consider how we can address these issues. However, there are immense opportunities in the future as we adjust our technologies, behaviour and economies to ensure we have a sustainable world in which we can live, work and play. TUS Thurles campus and Clonmel campus can visibly demonstrate that we are taking action.”

Director of the An Taisce Environmental Education Unit Dr Michael John O’Mahony, also congratulated the TUS Green-Campus Committee for initiating an outstanding programme on site in Thurles and Clonmel. He stated “The long-term commitment of staff and students is clear to see. There are numerous best practice examples taking place. These are especially evident in links to the learning on campus and utilising the campus as a living lab. The student projects and annual green weeks are outstanding. We look forward to watching how the Green-Campus journey in TUS develops in the coming years. We are delighted to acknowledge and recognise TUS Tipperary on their Green-Campus journey”.

Meanwhile TUS Lecturer, Department of Applied Science and TUS Green Campus Secretary Mr Kevin Healion, was setting his sights on the future of the Green Campus Programme – biodiversity. He stated “Every year I am amazed at the energy, ideas and skills that our students bring. I’m delighted to see the student involvement deepening with students doing work placements and now final year projects on our next theme of biodiversity. I think that’s a theme which has wide appeal and where the Thurles and Clonmel campuses can really shine, fortunate as we are with large land areas with tree, hedge and grassland habitats. My wish is for TUS to demonstrate best practice in how campus developments can integrate habitat protection for multiple benefits – wildlife and carbon storage, but also environmental appreciation, mental health and recreation through for example a combined walking / biodiversity trail.”

Head of the TUS Thurles campus, Mr Seamus Hoyne thanked everyone for their participation in the project, stating, “The Green Campus flag is a physical manifestation of the efforts of the students and staff on the Thurles and Clonmel campus to address the sustainability agenda. The strategy for the Thurles campus is focused on ensuring that everything we do contributes positively to the sustainability agenda. Our programmes will produce graduates and leaders who can make a difference, our campuses will be demonstrators and exemplars and our research will drive new innovations.”

Free WEEE Collection Day – November 6th – Cabragh Business Park, Thurles.

Free WEEE Collection Day – November 6th – Thurles.

Thurles householders are being invited to bring their electrical and electronic waste to a free WEEE recycling collection day at Thurles Recycling Centre on next Saturday, November 6th, situated at the Cabragh Business Park in Thurles, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Any household item with a plug or a battery will be accepted free of charge, including old washing machines, TVs, toasters, kettles, electronic tools, toys, computer cables or any IT equipment, mobile phones, remote controls and watches.

Due to the Covid pandemic, there are a lot of household items lying about in sheds and garages and here now is an opportunity to recycle same for free.

NB: Due to public health guidelines, with regards to Covid-19 virus restrictions; those attending are asked to observe strict adherence to social distancing and face covering.

Less Peat, More Wind Energy & Pandemic Restrictions Lead To Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 3.6 % in 2020, less than the reduction seen in 2019.

Lockdown measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a 15.7 % decrease in Transport emissions, the largest sectoral emissions reduction.
Peat fuelled electricity generation decreased by 51 % in 2020. Together with a 15 % increase in wind generation – this led to a 7.9 % reduction in Energy Industry emissions.
Residential greenhouse gas emissions increased by 9.0 %, with a substantial increase in carbon intensive fossil fuel use driven by low fuel prices and working from home.
Agriculture emissions increased by 1.4 % in 2020, driven by increased activity in all areas, including a 3.2 % increase in the number of dairy cows.
While the overall reduction in emissions is welcome, the majority (almost 2 Mt) of the reduction was due to a short term decrease in transport emissions due to the Covid 19 pandemic, which is likely to be once-off.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published its provisional greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for 2020. The figures show a reduction in emissions of 3.6 % compared to 2019, which although significant, is 0.4 % less than the reduction seen in 2019.
Significant emission reductions were recorded for the Energy Industries sector due mainly to reductions in peat fuelled electricity generation and increases in wind electricity generation. This reduction was despite a similar level of electricity demand to 2019, indicating the positive impact of a transition towards renewable energy in power generation emissions. The lockdown measures put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic lead to significant emissions reductions in the Transport sector but increases in the Residential sector.

The figures indicate that Ireland exceeded its 2020 annual EU emissions allocation by 6.7Mt and cumulatively exceeded its allocation over the lifetime of the 2013-2020 Effort Sharing Decision (ESD) by over 12 Mt. Emissions covered under the ESD in 2020 had only decreased by 7 % on the 2005 level compared to the overall target of a 20 per cent reduction.
Commenting on the figures Ms Laura Burke, (Director General, EPA) said:
“Greenhouse gas emissions decreased again in 2020 following the decrease seen in 2019, with a continuation of some positive trends in the data, such as the phasing out of peat burning in electricity generation. The behavioural changes required to deal with the COVID pandemic also led to a reduction in emissions in sectors such as transport, while there was an increase in emissions from the residential sector.”
The overall emission reduction in emissions during 2020, at a time of profound change to economic and social activity due to the Covid 19 pandemic highlight the scale of action needed across all parts of our economy and society to meet the 51 per cent emissions reduction by 2030 set within the 2021 Climate Act. Urgent action is also necessary to avoid a growth in greenhouse gas emissions during post-COVID economic recovery.”

The overall emission reduction was driven by two main factors, the reduced emissions intensity in electricity generation and decreased transport emissions as a result of the COVID lockdown measures. A summary of the main sectoral emission trends is below.

Energy Industries: Emissions in the Energy Industries sector decreased by 7.9%, or 0.74 Mt CO2eq in 2020, mainly due to a 51% decrease in peat used in electricity generation. This builds on the reductions seen in 2019, as a result of the phasing out of coal used in electricity generation.
Electricity generated from wind also played a part, increasing by 15.3% in 2020. The reduced peat use, and increased wind and hydro-electricity, resulted in an 8.1% decrease in the emissions intensity of power generation in 2020 to 295g CO2/kWh, a new record low. With peat and coal use at a relatively low level in 2020, further emissions reductions in line with the Climate Act ambition will depend largely on continued rapid deployment of renewable generation.

Agriculture: Agriculture emissions increased by 1.4%, or 0.3 Mt CO2eq in 2020 and have increased by 12% over the last 10 years. 2020 increases were driven by increased fertiliser nitrogen use (3.3%) increased numbers of livestock including dairy cows (3.2%), other cattle (0.6%), sheep (4.8%) and pigs (2.5%). In the last 10 years, dairy cow numbers have increased by 45.5% with a corresponding milk production increase of 60.3%. In the same 10-year period sheep numbers increased by 21.9%, pigs by 9.7% and poultry by 25.9%.

Residential: Greenhouse gas emissions from the Residential sector increased by 9.0% or 0.59 Mt CO2eq as many people worked from home due to the COVID lockdown measures. The impact of this increased demand was exacerbated by low fuel prices. Coal use increased by 6%, peat by 3% and Kerosene by 19%. Natural gas use decreased marginally by -0.3%. Overall since 2014, emissions per household have gradually increased, indicating that an acceleration of energy efficiency retrofit and renewable energy deployment is needed to avoid a continued increase in emissions from the sector.

Transport: Greenhouse gas emissions from the Transport sector decreased by 15.7% or 1.92 Mt CO2eq in 2020, driven by the impact of COVID restrictions on passenger car and public transport usage. At the end of 2020, there were just under 26,000 battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEVs) vehicles in Ireland, highlighting the extent of the challenge in meeting the over 936,000 EVs by 2030 Climate Action plan target. Freight transport emissions didn’t decrease as significantly as passenger transport emissions and accounted for almost 40% of road transport emissions in 2020. Options to decarbonise freight transport emissions therefore also need to be progressed with urgency. International aviation emissions to and from Ireland decreased by 65%. Although not part of Ireland’s total greenhouse gas emissions by international agreement, this reduction represents over 2 Mt CO2 eq. less greenhouse gas in the atmosphere.

Commenting, Mr Stephen Treacy, (Senior Manager, EPA) said:
“The latest Inventory numbers show that the 2013-2020 EU Effort Sharing (ESD) target has been missed by a wide margin, with ESD emissions in 2020 just 7%% below the 2005 level, despite the COVID impact on 2020 emissions. In too many sectors, greenhouse gas emissions are still closely coupled with activity and output, a connection that will need to be broken in order for Ireland to meet the Climate Act target or the increased EU ‘fit for 55’ ambition.”

Full detail on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory 1990 to 2020 is available on the EPA website and the EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource is also available online.

National Parks & Wildlife Secure Section 40 Convictions Against Farmers.

We spoke recently (Late June) regarding ineffective changes to a stretch of healthy Hawthorn trees, latter recently annihilated close to the river Suir, behind the new Lidl shopping complex, being replaced by ‘sod all’.

Delighted to read that, at last, the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) have gotten up from their office seats, to secure convictions against persons responsible for the destruction of hedgerows and woodland, during this same bird-nesting season.

Separate cases have been heard recently in Ballina District Court and in Nenagh District Court, both taken under section 40 of the Wildlife (Amendment) Act of 2000, with the NPWS stating that a number of similar cases are also before the courts.

At a recent sitting of Ballina District Court, a Mayo farmer has been fined €4,000, and received a 20% penalty to his farm payments, for the destruction of vegetation over an area of around 1.9 acres, during the bird-nesting season.
At Nenagh District Court, Co. Tipperary, yet another Galway farmer was also convicted and fined €3,000 for destroying 755 metres of hedgerows, and 0.7 acres of scrub woodland, at a farm here in Co. Tipperary.

NPWS has stated that it has noted an increase in the number of such reports of the complete removal of hedgerows and vegetation on lands not cultivated, during the statutory bird-nesting season.
NPWS now state it is fully committed to investigating such areas, where this destruction is reported.

In Nenagh District Court, the remarks made by Judge Ms Elizabeth McGrath, should be heralded throughout this island. She stated that “section 40 is not a bureaucratic law, and exists to protect birds and their habitat.”

Technological University Of Shannon (TUS) To Head EU Project To Boost Climate Action Leadership.

“Remarkable” project officially launched in Thurles, Co Tipperary.

A €1.7m “Remarkable” project has been proposed by the development unit at Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) and is to be funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

Ireland’s newest technological university is leading a collaborative project that will aim to address the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, as set out in the EU’s Green Deal.

Partners from a mix of universities, government and energy agencies involving Austria, Croatia, France, Sweden, Slovenia and Spain travelled to Tipperary recently to officially launch the project here in Thurles, Co Tipperary.

Mr Seamus Hoyne, (Dean of flexible learning and work-based learning) at TUS, stated that the project is particularly timely with the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference, which is being held in Glasgow within the next three weeks; thus placing the climate crisis “to the very forefront of everyone’s agenda”.