Solutions to combating climate change were discussed at Engineers Ireland's national conference, which was opened by President Michael D Higgins on October 21, 2020.

An honorary Fellow, President Higgins was welcomed by Maurice Buckley, the institution’s president, who said: “The delivery of the fruits of science and technology for universal social benefit has formed one of the central themes in the presidency of Michael D Higgins, with the president stressing to us today the importance of using scientific insights to address the great challenges facing humanity.”

Full spectrum of the engineering profession

President Higgins told the remote audience of engineers, representing the full spectrum of the engineering profession, that “engineers have a clear role to play to ensure that everyone in the world has access to clean water, sanitation, reliable energy, and safeguarded from climate change’s adverse impacts which are already manifesting”.

Stating that climate change is “the greatest contemporary challenge facing us as inhabitants of this planet in peril,” President Higgins said: “Nature has a fine balance, and scientific models are so sophisticated and precise now that this can be shown empirically.

"Earth’s ecosystem, the composition of the atmosphere, and the world’s weather – our ecological systems – operate in a stable equilibrium or homeostasis.

'Catastrophic impacts on sea-level rises'

"An ostensibly small change in just one parameter within this equilibrium, such as that brought about by human-sourced emissions of greenhouse gases, results in weather changes that include increasing temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, with catastrophic impacts on sea-level rises. The cumulative effect of this is climate chaos with all its social and economic consequences.

“I suggest respectfully that the time has long passed for debate on the science, useless apportionments of blame, or idle comparisons. Action is now needed, and I ask all engineers across all branches of engineering to play their role.”

President Higgins said that the Irish education system “needs to generate many more engineers armed with skills needed to meet the global climate-change challenge and to build a sustainable world”.

Ethical obligation

He also referenced Engineers Ireland’s, Engineering 2020 report, which found that almost three-quarters of the Irish public believe engineers have an ethical obligation to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss. “Engineers are central to sustainable development and are uniquely placed to help the world meet critical Sustainable Development Goals,” he said.

The conference, taking place as a fully virtual event, included speakers from the UK, USA, the Netherlands and Portugal in addition to contributions from speakers with Ireland based engineering-led expertise. 

Speakers included Dr Morgan Bazilian, former lead energy specialist at the World Bank, director of the Payne Institute in the USA and a professor of public policy at the Colorado School of Mines; Dr Hayaatun Sillem, CBE, CEO, Royal Academy of Engineering, UK, named as one of the ‘Inspiring Fifty’ women in tech; flood risk management expert from south Holland, Reinoud van Oosten; and Sofia Cordeiro, adviser, urban green structure, environment, climate and energy, Lisbon Municipality, Portugal.

Carbon capture and storage

This year, Lisbon holds the European Commission-awarded title of European Green Capital 2020. Topics discussed included carbon capture and storage, offshore wind generation, the future energy citizen and climate resilient and liveable communities. 

Irish-based conference speakers included representatives from the Office of Public Works, ESB, Ervia, Irish Water, Dingle Creativity and Innovation Hub and academics from University College Cork/SFI MaREI Centre and University College Dublin.

Caroline Spillane, director general of Engineers Ireland, said: “Engineers have a key role to play in the transition to a sustainable, carbon-free society; Sustainable Development Goal 9 for example, calls for the building of resilient infrastructure, promotion of inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation.

"Our conference aims to mobilise and educate engineers across all sectors to be drivers of climate action in their own business, network and communities.”

On foot of the government’s Budget 2021 announcement last week, Engineers Ireland published its report ‘The State of Ireland 2020 – Engineering a green and digital recovery’.

The report advocates that Ireland’s future will be green and digital, driven by investments in infrastructure, technology and education. Informed by a dedicated advisory group of engineers and other professionals, the report outlines a set of recommendations that will help the Irish economy to recover by tackling the challenges and embracing the opportunities arising from climate change, digitalisation and Brexit.

Net zero target for 2050

Maurice Buckley, president of Engineers Ireland, said: “A Green New Deal for Ireland has the potential to accelerate a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, supported by a statutory net zero target for 2050 and funding through the European Green Deal.

"Communities must be at the heart of this transition, involved as early as possible and ensuring clear benefits from infrastructure projects.

"Priority projects we reference within our report include energy system integration and achieving 70% renewable electricity, a seaport to support offshore wind development, a hydrogen strategy, a radical national retrofit strategy, re-engineering our transport system, active state land management, and multi-annual funding for water, wastewater and flood risk management.”