Planet Earth

Fisheries have been an essential part of Europe’s economy, culture, & food security for centuries. Previously, fishing was largely unregulated, resulting in overfishing. Today, fisheries are more science-based, with a focus on sustainable fishing practices that aim to preserve fish stocks & ecosystems. Successive reforms of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy have played a crucial role in regulating fishing & promoting sustainability. Enjoy a pint with a fisheries ecologist while we explore what happened, what’s happening & the hopeful future of European fisheries. It's not all doom & gloom!

Have you ever wondered why during the late summer, the water in parts of west cork glows blue? This is known as bioluminescence and it can be a common occurrence in our waters. Lough Hyne, a small marine lough outside Skibbereen, is particularly well known for bioluminescence. So – why does it happen? What causes it? Why is it blue? If you want to know the answers to these questions and more, come listen to my talk during the Pint of Science festival this May 2023.

When it comes to tackling today's man-made environmental problems, there is often no better place to look for inspiration than the environment itself. Marine bacteria are important members of our oceans and we can harness their power to create nature-based environmental solutions such as biorecycling, bioremediation, and biocatalysis. My talk will focus on polyester-degrading enzymes produced by marine bacteria that were found living within Irish sea sponges, which are of interest for the degradation of PET plastic among other practical applications.

Climate is changing & these changes will affect all sectors of society. High quality climate observations are essential in order to understand the characteristics of current climate, support adaptation & mitigation actions. For more than 40 years, data from a wide range of satellite sensors have been used to observe the Earth & have significantly improved knowledge of many aspects of the climate system. I will highlight a set of initiatives & activities aimed to support adaptation & mitigation planning for climate change where satellite imagery has been an essential source of information.