DONEGAL residents are being invited to a free public lecture on climate change at Central Library, Letterkenny, on Thursday April 23 at 6.30pm, featuring one of Ireland’s foremost voices on the subject.
Emeritus Professor John Sweeney of Maynooth University will deliver the talk in partnership with ‘Europe Direct Letterkenny’, bringing decades of expertise to a topic of pressing local and national concern.
His warning for Donegal is stark. “Ireland in general, and Donegal in particular, are highly vulnerable to climate shocks associated with changing rainfall, sea level and biodiversity loss,” he said.
Professor Sweeney is among Ireland’s most distinguished climatologists, having published over 100 scientific papers and contributed to the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — the body jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He has led nationally funded research projects and participated in numerous international initiatives examining climate change’s impact on Ireland.
Professor Sweeney is expected to outline how the science has grown more urgent, not less, pointing to what he describes as critical tipping points being approached or exceeded. Despite this, he argues political will is faltering.
He said:
“Short term political choices in response to powerful pressure groups are resulting in exceedances of legally binding carbon budgets,” he said, warning that inaction threatens “costly burdens over the next decade for Irish society”.
On his involvement in the event, Professor Sweeney said:
“I am delighted to be partnering with Europe Direct Letterkenny. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are providing clear evidence that the climate and biodiversity emergency is intensifying, despite the issues being deprioritised at national and international levels.”
Europe Direct Letterkenny, based at the Central Library, provides EU information, Erasmus+ details, and public access to EU resources.
Irish language EU information is also available at Leabharlann Phobail Gaoth Dobhair.
The event is free and open to all.
For further details email: [email protected]
Or call Central Library on 074 91 24950.