Uncertainties caused by climate change will impact upon food security and cause scarcity, experts warn in a special issue edition of a leading scientific journal.
Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) has brought together some of the world’s foremost experts on eco-innovation and climate change to address key challenges facing humanity, among them food security, in a new special issue of a leading scientific journal.
Disease-mitigation for improved pollination
The expert papers, which delve into topics like bee decline and disease-mitigation for improved pollination, sustainable food production and climate change, and bioplastics, are published in Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health.
Guest editors Professor Neil J Rowan, director of the Bioscience Research Institute at TUS, and Dr Robert Pogue, an adjunct professor at Universidade Católica de Brasílial and a visiting research fellow at TUS, sought the opinions of top scientists globally with a view to accelerating the transition to a greener future.
“This is the first time world-leading experts, representative of all continents, have been brought together to address these pressing challenges in this manner. The emerging opportunities identified are key to unlocking complex environmental issues for the betterment of society,” said Prof Rowan, emphasising the significance of the special issue edition.
“I am overwhelmed with the amount of interest expressed in this special issue from both contributors and readers as it continues to trend internationally. The topics discussed are extremely important and align with many needs emerging from COP26, along with potential sustainable and disruptive approaches to satisfy many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
TUS president Prof Vincent Cunnane called the wealth of expert opinions shared in the new special issue edition timely and said its “rich repository of knowledge” would act as a catalyst for positive change.
Key strategic TUS initiatives
“This work highlights and complements community and regional opportunities that are met by key strategic TUS initiatives, such as Empower Eco, and internationally through our RUN-EU network and by allied European-funded projects. The underpinning tenets of this special issue reflect the sustaining and disruptive potential of TUS, along with our partners, as we continue to make significant strides on the global stage”.
Vice-president of research, development, and innovation at TUS Dr Liam Brown added: “This is a remarkable achievement given the nature and importance of topics addressed in this prestigious scientific journal and the potential impact for society globally. From a top-down perspective, it also reflects the strong international networks and influence our TUS researchers bring to the fore in addressing complex societal challenges.”
TUS researchers Michelle McKeon Bennett, Dr Emma Murphy, Seamus Hoyne, and Dr Darren Barry are among those who contributed to the ‘Disruptive Green Deal Innovations’ special issue edition of Current Opinion in Environmental Science and Health, available now.