Shared Island Research: Environment and Energy

Research Partner - Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)

Publication Date - December 2022

This research found that aligned renewable energy targets in Ireland and Northern Ireland can lead to lower costs across the island, as well as higher deployment of renewable energy generation in Northern Ireland, and higher investment in storage in Ireland. It further found that with the North-South interconnector in place, this would facilitate greater energy transmission between the two jurisdictions, reducing the requirement to invest in storage, as well as reducing the number of network upgrades needed.

Read 'All-island coordination of energy infrastructure and renewable energy supports' and watch the launch webinar.

Research Partner - National Economic and Social Council (NESC)

Publication Date - April 2022

The NESC, at the request of the Department of the Taoiseach, undertook a programme of research in 2021 to produce a comprehensive report on Shared Island issues, to inform the development of the Shared Island Initiative as a whole of Government priority. The report makes three overarching conclusions:

• First, there is very significant support, in practice, for an all-island approach to key economic, social, environmental, and wellbeing challenges.
• Second, climate change and biodiversity loss provide a clear and urgent platform for ambitious all-island action and collaboration.
• Third, the factors which are shaping current and future collaboration are a shared agenda, resources, political certainty and support, legislative and regulatory coherence, and collaborative projects.

The report also makes specific recommendations across five key areas in relation to the economy and investment, social policy, climate and biodiversity, wellbeing measurement and data co-ordination.

Read 'Shared Island Shared Opportunity: NESC Comprehensive Report' and watch the report launch event.

Research Partner - Irish Research Council (IRC)

Year of Award - 2022

This research project was commissioned under the Shared Island strand of the New Foundations Scheme, administered by the IRC (now Research Ireland). It sought to investigate and enhance understandings of and opportunities for circular bioeconomy entrepreneurship across the island of Ireland, especially in the area of willow biomass, and to examine how to leverage strengths both North and South through a collaborative network.

Read more about this research project on the Research Ireland Awards Database.

Research Partner - Irish Research Council (IRC)

Publication Date - 2022

This research project was commissioned under the Shared Island strand of the New Foundations Scheme, administered by the Irish Research Council (now Research Ireland). It aimed to establish a research partnership between two universities on the island of Ireland, focused on sustainable finance solutions to biodiversity loss, to make policy recommendations while strengthening North-South research links.

Read more about this research project on the Research Ireland Awards Database.

Research Partner - National Economic and Social Council (NESC)

Publication Date - October 2021

As part of a wider body of work on Shared Island for the Department of the Taoiseach, this NESC report examined the particular challenges and opportunities of climate change and biodiversity loss across the island of Ireland, drawing on an extensive consultation process with stakeholders North and South. The findings indicate that there is a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities, and of the need to accept that strengthening cooperation takes time and requires public engagement and participation. The report also shows that there is an ambition to collaborate across the island to deal with climate and biodiversity in an integrated, positive and imaginative manner, and points to the deep, shared experience that provides a solid foundation to deliver on this ambition.

Read 'Collaboration on climate and biodiversity: shared island as a catalyst for renewed ambition and action'.

Research Partner - Irish Research Council (IRC)

Year of Award - 2021

This research project was commissioned under the Shared Island strand of the New Foundations Scheme, administered by the IRC (now Research Ireland). It sought to identify key centres, expertise and researchers on the island of Ireland in the area of the circular economy, to assess current circular economy funding and measures, and to coordinate the formation of an all-island circular economy group.

Read more about this research project on the Research Ireland Awards Database.