Since 2023 one focus of the Centre for Irish-German Studies activities is a stronger engagement with sustainability. A series of guest lectures and panel discussions were held throughout the whole year to enable the sharing of knowledge and inspire interdisciplinary and binational exchange.
25 September 2023
Karin Dubsky: Citizen Science - some Irish roots and branches
Karin Dubsky focussed in her presentation on “citizen science” as a way to strengthen informed citizen participation in environmental decision making and access justice. She described how some strong citizen science initiatives started in Ireland before the term was coined and spread across Europe, from air pollution indicator mapping to the annual Coastwatch autumn shore survey which was used as case study. These long-term projects sit beside a wealth of tailor-made short-term citizen science initiatives with which she illustrated the wealth of opportunity we have to discover, monitor and influence the state of our environment. You can watch the full lecture here.
20 April 2023
Panel Literary Discussions of the Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability (chaired by Dr Laura Linares, UL)
In this discussion Dr. Joachim Fischer, Anne Nospickel (UL; DAAD) and Clarisa Novella (UL) shown the spotlight on three books (Kim Stanley Robinson’s The Ministry for the Future, Karen Duve’s Macht and Andreas Wagner’s Jahresringe). Common themes were discussed and the importance of comprehensive discussions and engagement with literature concerning environmental topics was highlighted. The group also shared ideas of teaching literature in class.
21 March 2023
John Gormley: Guest Lecture A Personal Journey into Environmentalism (chaired by Prof Kerstin Mey, President UL)
John Gormley recalled his personal journey from being a student in Germany, becoming interested in the Green Party to the Irish Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and the leader of the Green Party. He emphasised the links between the two countries and the persisting need to learn from each other and continue making green changes. You can watch the recording here.
15 February 2023
Philipp Nußbaum: Guest Lecture (online) Sustainability Reporting at German Universities (chaired by Andrea Deverell, UL),
Philipp Nußbaum focused on the implementation of the SDG’s and how the issue of comparability could be tackled. Working at the Institute for Higher Education Development in Hannover, he shared with us his experience of analysing the practices of Sustainability Reporting at German Universities and stressed the necessity for future cross-country dialogue. You can watch the recorded lecture here.
7 February 2023
David Donoghue: Guest Lecture The Story Behind the UN Sustainable Development Goals (chaired by Prof Shane Kilcommins, Provost and Deputy President UL)
David Donoghue was one of the two co-facilitators (with Kenya) for the UN negotiations which led to the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015 and started the series off by sharing his experience of drafting the SDG’s and his continued passion for working together as a planet to achieve these. You can watch the recording here.