Environment - News & Events | Trinity College Dublin

EU team to detect earthquakes and infrastructure damage using internet cables

Researchers have begun a new €5 million EU-funded project that will allow fibre optic cable lines under our roads, fields and seas to double up as sensors that spot earthquakes and infrastructure damage, monitor traffic, and detect changes in the natural environment.

22 Dec 2025

Awards and Funding|Environment|Innovation|Research|Science

Growing a mix of plants in fields can save farmers money and help the environment

Prof. Caroline Brophy, writing for The Conversation, outlines the positive implications of landmark research conducted across geographical scales.

15 Dec 2025

Environment|Research|Science|Sustainability

Increasing plant diversity in agricultural grasslands boosts yields, reducing reliance on fertiliser

Higher plant diversity in agricultural grasslands increases yields with lower inputs of nitrogen fertiliser. That is the headline finding of a landmark, international study led by Trinity that paints a promising picture for more sustainable agriculture.

4 Dec 2025

Environment|Research|Science|Sustainability

A fish-friendly innovation that could turn river barriers into green power stations

Researchers from Trinity and UCD have designed and road – or “river” – tested a new barrier modification system that enables fish to travel up and downstream while simultaneously generating green energy for local consumption.

25 Nov 2025

Environment|Innovation|Research|Science|Sustainability

Trinity places 29th in world in 2026 QS sustainability ranking

Trinity’s Vice-President for Biodiversity and Climate Action Jane Stout said: “There are now a huge number of people across the whole university working towards a shared vision for a better future, including our student body, colleagues in Estates and Facilities, Academic Practice, the Library, Catering, the Health Service, as well as the academic schools. We can be proud of what we have achieved so far."

18 Nov 2025

Environment|Health|Society|Students|Sustainability

Trinity student delegates attend COP30 in Belém

Two delegates will represent Trinity at the 2025 United Nation Climate Change Conference (COP30), taking place in Belém, Brazil from 10-21 November. Trinity Sustainability gained observer status to the conference in 2023 and was allocated two in-person delegates and ten virtual delegates for 2025. Trinity’s representatives will access seminars, panels and networking opportunities, but not the negotiations.

10 Nov 2025

Community|Environment|Society|Students|Sustainability

Trinity launches Climate Gateway to build momentum for a resilient future

Professor of Climate Science Karen Wiltshire has spearheaded the Climate Gateway, which is designed to inform policy, develop innovative solutions, and build shared accountability. Anyone interested is encouraged to visit the Climate Gateway website and get involved.

4 Nov 2025

We’ve done the science — let’s get on with climate action

Marking the launch of Trinity's Climate Gateway, Professor Karen Wiltshire issues a call to action: "This is no longer about whether climate change is real. It’s about how we adapt and how we mitigate — decisively, collectively, and intelligently."

3 Nov 2025

Community|Environment

Marine scientists aim to restore native flat oyster reefs around the coast

Researchers from Trinity are collaborating on a new €1.5 million all-island project, funded by the Marine Institute, to restore native flat oyster reefs and enhance coastal resilience.

24 Oct 2025

Environment|Research|Science|Sustainability

What goes up must come down – scientists unearth “universal thermal performance curve” that shackles evolution

This “UTPC" seemingly applies to all species and dictates their responses to temperature change. It essentially “shackles evolution” as no species seem to have broken free from the constraints it imposes on how temperature affects performance.

21 Oct 2025

Environment|Research|Science|Sustainability