Ireland's major environment conference
14–15 SEPTEMBER 2023 ∙ CROKE PARK, DUBLIN
Organised by
In association with
PROGRAMME
Conference programme
DAY ONE
THURSDAY 14 SEPTEMBER
08:30 AM
Registration and morning coffee
Environmental policy
09:00 – 11:00 AM
Chair
Kevin O’Sullivan, Environment and Science Editor, The Irish Times
Ministerial address
Ossian Smyth TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Communications and Circular Economy
European environmental priorities
Patrick Child, Deputy-Director General DG Environment, European Commission
The role of public sector leadership in tackling the nature and climate emergencies
Clare Pillman, Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales
A greener future for all
Imelda Hurley, CEO, Coillte
Climate action policy in Northern Ireland
Kevin Hegarty, Director of Green Growth and Climate Action, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Questions and answers / panel discussion
11:00 – 11:30 AM
Networking coffee break and exhibition viewing
Sustainability
11:30 AM – 01:00 PM
Chair
Kevin O’Sullivan, Environment and Science Editor, The Irish Times
Global challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals
Antoine Oger, Head of Programme, Global Challenges and SDG, Institute for European Environmental Policy
Creating an effective sustainability strategy and reducing emissions in the transport sector
Caoimhe Donnelly, Chief Sustainability Officer, CIÉ Group
Enabling a greener future with Digital Twin Technology Platforms
Venkatesh Kannan, Technical Manager, Irish Centre for High-End Computing (ICHEC)
Sustainable Production and Consumption: The Influence of Social Norms
Stephen Onakuse, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork
Questions and answers / panel discussion
01:00 – 02:00 PM
Lunch break and exhibition viewing
Circular economy and resource management
02:00 - 03:20 PM
Chair
Claire Downey, Policy and Research Director, The Rediscovery Centre
Implementing the circular economy
David Greenfield, Vice President - External Affairs, Circular Economy Institute and Visiting Professor of Circular Economy University of Brighton
Communities growing the circular economy
Eimear Montague, Executive Director, Northern Ireland Resources Network
Food waste: Calculating carbon emissions
Aditya Arora, Data and Report Team Lead, FoodCloud
Questions and answers / panel discussion
03:20 – 03:40 PM
Afternoon coffee break and exhibition viewing
Biodiversity
03:40 PM - 05:00 PM
Chair
Anja Murray, Ecologist
Business for biodiversity: Driving the transition to a nature positive Irish economy
Lucy Gaffney, Platform Development Lead, Business for Biodiversity Ireland
Discussion panel: Responding to Ireland’s biodiversity emergency
Lorraine Bull, Biodiversity Officer, Dublin City Council
Andy Bleasdale, Director, Scientific Advice and Research, National Parks and Wildlife Service
Peter McEvoy, Director of Land Management, Ulster Wildlife
Tasman Crowe, Vice President for Sustainability, University College Dublin, and Chair, National Biodiversity Forum
Lucy Gaffney, Platform Development Lead, Business for Biodiversity Ireland
Questions and answers / panel discussion
05:00 PM
Day 1 conference close
DAY TWO
FRIDAY 15 SEPTEMBER
08:30 AM
Morning coffee
Climate
09:00 – 10:45 AM
Chair
J Owen Lewis, Co-Chair, IIEA Working Group on Climate and Energy
Climate change policy in Ireland
Brian Carroll, Assistant Secretary, Environment and Climate Action, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Driving climate action in tourism
Paul Kelly, CEO, Fáilte Ireland
Climate change litigation
Danielle Conaghan, Partner and Head of the Environment and Planning Group, Arthur Cox
Tackling climate change
Geoff Dooley, Head of Sustainability Services, Antaris Consulting
Questions and answers / panel discussion
10:45 – 11:15 AM
Networking coffee break and exhibition viewing
Climate
11:15 AM – 01:00 PM
Chair
J Owen Lewis, Co-Chair, IIEA Working Group on Climate and Energy
Managing the relationship between health and climate change
Anthony Costello, Chair, Lancet Countdown for Climate and Health Action
Empowering Scotland’s young people to lead action on tackling the climate crisis
Laura Curtis-Moss, Director, 2050 Climate Group
Reducing emissions in agriculture
Frank O’Mara, Director, Teagasc
The implications of climate change and future outlook
Oisín Coghlan, CEO, Friends of the Earth Ireland
Questions and answers / panel discussion
01:00 – 02:00 PM
Lunch break and exhibition viewing
Parallel session: Planning and the environment
02:00 – 03:30 PM
Chair
Hendrik W van der Kamp, Planning Consultant
Landcover use in Ireland
Gavin Smith, Scientific Officer in Earth Observation and Spatial Analysis, Environmental Protection Agency
Derry and Strabane’s green infrastructure plan
Mike Savage, Green Infrastructure Project Development Officer, Derry City and Strabane District Council
Public participation in environmental planning
Ainhoa Gonzalez Del Campo, Associate Professor, School of Geography, University College Dublin
Achieving climate goals through sustainable planning
Paul O’Neill, Principal Officer, Planning Advisory Division, Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Questions and answers / panel discussion
Parallel session: Water
02:00 – 03:30 PM
Chair
Dr Susan Hegarty, Associate Professor, DCU School of History and Geography
Ireland’s water quality and the impacts of poor water quality
Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Supporting the implementation of River Basin Management Plans
Anthony Coleman, Director of Services, Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO)
Protecting Ireland’s water resources
Dr Triona McGrath, Research & Policy Lead, An Fóram Uisce – The Water Forum
Delivering sustainable water services
Eleanor Roche, Head of Environmental Regulation and Compliance, Uisce Éireann
Water and biodiversity in Ireland
Adrian Smyth, Development Officer – Biodiversity, National Federation of Group Water Schemes
Questions and answers / panel discussion
Ossian Smyth TD
Florika Fink-Hooijer
Antoine Oger
Laura Curtis-Moss
Anthony Costello
Anja Murray
Niall Ó Donnchú
Mike Savage
Brian Carroll
Claire Downey
Oisín Coghlan
Stephen Onakuse
Kevin O’Sullivan
Susan Hegarty
Hendrik W van der Kamp
Philip Nugent
Adrian Smyth 
Ainhoa Gonzalez Del Campo 
Geoff Dooley 
Clare Pillman 
David Greenfield
Danielle Conaghan
Peter McEvoy
Triona McGrath
J Owen Lewis
Gavin Smith
Imelda Hurley
Lucy Gaffney
Dr Venkatesh Kannan
Kevin Hegarty
Eimear Cotter
Aditya Arora
Patric Child
Eleanor Roche
Andy Bleasdale