Dr. Cara Augustenborg
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caugustenborg.bsky.social
Dr. Cara Augustenborg
@caugustenborg.bsky.social
Assistant Professor, Head of Environmental Policy at UCD; Member of Ireland's Climate Change Advisory Council; Member of the President of Ireland's Council of State
🌍 New in J. of Environmental Policy & Planning!
Our study identifies the 5 biggest, interlinked barriers to environmental policy implementation in Ireland and proposes systematic fixes:

Open Access read here:
🔗 doi.org/10.1080/1523...

#EnvironmentalPolicy #Ireland #ClimateGovernance
Barriers to environmental policy implementation: stakeholder perceptions in the context of Ireland
Environmental policies are embedded in political institutions worldwide, yet degradation persists, with failure to implement existing policies considered a significant contributing factor. Few stud...
doi.org
November 12, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Last night, my fellow Council of State members got to hear one of President Higgins' final speeches. It was particularly emotional taking this photo in front of Irl's first Council of State, noting how times have changed for us ladies in particular!
November 7, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Yesterday, we welcomed George Marshall to University College Dublin for Earth Institute's public event on how to talk about climate change. Today, George joins my EPA Ireland project team to launch our Community of Practice Using Worldview to Inspire & Scale Climate Action (UWISCA).
November 6, 2025 at 6:07 AM
For the record, I also had several media coaching sessions with Ivan Yates and it was the best media training I've ever had! Anyone who spent any time with IY knew he ran a business for the last few years doing this, so why is it a surprise to someone who worked with him regularly?
Matt Cooper appeared to be taken aback on his Today FM show yesterday evening when Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins revealed that he too received media training from Ivan Yates.

Cooper asked the question after Collins made a rather punchy remark on The Last Word.
jrnl.ie/6864881
Matt Cooper learns on-air that TD Niall Collins also received media training from Ivan Yates
Cooper asked if Collins was coached by Yates after a rather punchy line he delivered live on-air.
jrnl.ie
November 4, 2025 at 9:28 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
An extraordinary omission.

Yes, policy is the domain of Gov, but climate is one area where a President, limited though their powers may be, could actually play a significant role, e.g. by mobilising community action and lifting the voices of people affected.

👏 @caugustenborg.bsky.social et al.
October 31, 2025 at 10:49 AM
In honour of President Michael D. Higgins' last few days in the Aras, I popped into Newstalk studio to chat with Ciara Doherty, Gavin Duffy & Tadgh McNally about the President's legacy.

How will Michael D Higgin’s Presidency be remembered? | Newstalk

www.newstalk.com/podcasts/hig...
How will Michael D Higgin’s Presidency be remembered? | Newstalk
As Michael D Higgins' time as President of Ireland comes to an end, how will his period in the Á...
www.newstalk.com
October 30, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
We fully agree @caugustenborg.bsky.social . @rte.ie has most especially failed children and young people on this issue. They should know what the next President's views are on the issue which will most shape their collective futures.
I'm heart broken Ireland's national broadcaster stuck to same old 7 questions tonight on #áras25 presidential debate & avoided the climate question several of us begged them to ask. We learned nothing new of candidates' positions on major global/national challenges. RTE has failed the public.
October 21, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Fully agree. Especially upsetting for young people, especially those voting in their first election, not to see the next President asked about the issue that will most affect their futures. @rte.ie have let them down hugely.
October 21, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I'm heart broken Ireland's national broadcaster stuck to same old 7 questions tonight on #áras25 presidential debate & avoided the climate question several of us begged them to ask. We learned nothing new of candidates' positions on major global/national challenges. RTE has failed the public.
October 21, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Please email [email protected] to ask them to break the #ClimateSilence & ask the 2 candidates "How will you integrate climate change into your Presidency?” in the last TV debate on Tuesday

I've done the research to make this easy @thejournal.ie
www.thejournal.ie/readme/clima...

#Aras25
Climate expert: We weren't hearing about the candidates' stances on climate action, so I asked them directly
Here’s what Heather Humphreys and Catherine Connolly said about climate action and what it means for the election, writes Dr Cara Augustenborg.
www.thejournal.ie
October 17, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I've listened to 3 presidential debates so far & learned nothing on candidates' position on climate. I've even emailed to ask them this & have yet to receive replies. Anyone else feel same?

@rte.ie @virginmedianews.bsky.social @heatherhumphries.bsky.social @catherineconnolly.bsky.social
a man wearing glasses is standing in front of a blackboard and saying `` anyone ? '' .
ALT: a man wearing glasses is standing in front of a blackboard and saying `` anyone ? '' .
media.tenor.com
October 9, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Just saw Pete Hegseth's ridiculous speech to US military and, for the first time since my father (USAF Colonel) died 5 years ago, I am relieved he is not alive to see what a mockery is being made of the the cause he dedicated his life too. 😔
September 30, 2025 at 2:18 PM
This is a good summary of healing words of @barackobama.bsky.social in Dublin last night, but fails to mention what struck me most: #climatechange comprised at least 20% of the conversation & was first issue mentioned as priority for #ObamaFoundation. 💚

#BarackObama

www.rte.ie/news/us/2025...
'Unacceptable' to ignore human crisis in Gaza - Obama
Former US president Barack Obama has said there is no military rationale right now for continuing to pummel what is already broken in Gaza, and he said it was unacceptable to ignore the human crisis t...
www.rte.ie
September 27, 2025 at 10:55 AM
If you are at the National Ploughing Championship today, come say hello!
September 16, 2025 at 10:55 AM
On the 20yr anniversary of #HurricaneKatrina, I dusted off my 2017 blog after my last trip to my former home of NOLA. It still holds up!
www.caraaugustenborg.com/latest-news/...
What it means to miss New Orleans: An environmentalist’s view growing up below the sea
Here's my version of heaven. #NOLA #Brass #Jazz pic.twitter.com/93pvkSxFUZ
www.caraaugustenborg.com
August 29, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Thank you @yurikageyama.bsky.social for a feel good story amid the gloom. I have a bug loving kid here in Ireland, but they seem to be a rare breed here! A culture of bug loving kids sounds like just what the world needs. 🐛🪲🐞
August 9, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Actor Mandy Patinkin’s plea for Jews to consider how what Netanyahu’s Israeli government is doing to Gaza is not just harming Palestinians and killing kids — but also endangering Jews across the globe.
July 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Good morning! ☀️

We are looking for a researcher (or research team) to support an exciting new report on how clean flexibility solutions can replace fossil gas. More info below 👇

Please share with your networks and/or names of any suitable candidates.

Merci!

beyondfossilfuels.org/about-us/wor...
May 26, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
🚨2 years after Irish gov launched €15m Shared Island sports club EV charger scheme, none have been fitted.
Now a report warns the delays pose a ‘reputational risk’ to government climate initiatives
@caugustenborg.bsky.social @irishnews.com @ucddublin.bsky.social
www.irishnews.com/news/norther...
Sports clubs ‘frustrated’ by long delay to EV chargers promised under €15m Shared Island scheme
Academic report warns delays in the process pose a ‘reputational risk’ to government climate initiatives
www.irishnews.com
May 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM
In today's Irish Times, my perspective as a former Fulbright scholar and current Programme Director for University College Dublin Environmental Policy MSc programme, where we are seeing significant increases in US/international applicant numbers this year.

www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...
‘There’s a war on academia’: US faces brain drain of its brightest and best teachers and students
Europe may benefit as Trump’s campaign against Ivy League colleges is causing academics to consider emigrating
www.irishtimes.com
May 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Sign of the day…
April 19, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Right Now, most of the American can relate to this message from the 90's.
April 19, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Not so fun fact: Every hour a person spends in space emits the same climate harming pollution as 2,000-4,600 people on earth (source link below), but today I heard Katy Perry say "everyone should do this to help them love themselves" 🙄

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
April 14, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Reposted by Dr. Cara Augustenborg
Here's a first look at sea surface temperature data from the new NOAA ERSSTv6 dataset... this animation shows the yearly anomalies over the last 100 years.

Data available at www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb...
April 14, 2025 at 7:41 PM