Ukraine’s leading climate scientist to address conference at Dublin Castle

The conference will explore the global implications of war on countries’ ability to address climate change.  

Svitlana Krakovska, of the Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute, will address the European Climate Change Adaptation (ECCA) Conference, hosted by University College Cork (UCC), in Dublin Castle at the opening ceremony on Tuesday (20 June). She is due to be accompanied by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Ireland, Larysa Gerasko.

Dr Krakovska is expected to highlight the devastating impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, including the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam and consequent flooding, and the global implications of the war on countries’ ability to address climate change.

Later in the two-day conference, Dr Krakovska will lead delegates in a session dedicated to adaptation to climate change in Ukraine’s post-war recovery, to serve as a role model for other European communities, cities, and business in achieving climate-resilient development.

Ambassador Gerasko and other government officials in the Ukrainian delegation will be welcomed to Dublin by Lord Mayor Caroline Conroy at ECCA2023’s opening ceremony at Dublin City Hall on Monday evening.

The 6th European Climate Change Adaptation Conference, takes place in Dublin for the first time and runs from Monday, 19 June to Wednesday, 21 June. It is being hosted by MaREI, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine at University College Cork (UCC).

More than 400 European politicians, leading scientists, and climate action representatives will attend to share state-of-the-art climate science and developments to help countries adapt to the changing climate. The latest State of the Climate in Europe Report will be launched at the conference on Monday by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

“This is the first time this European conference has been held in Ireland and it is important Ireland plays a leading role on this issue” stated Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, Associate Vice-President for Sustainability at UCC and Director of UCC’s Environmental Research Institute. “We are honoured to host this important forum which brings together key scientists and policy makers from across Europe to examine what measures will have to be adopted to improve our resilience in a climate that is already changing and will be radically different.”

Hans-Otto Pörtner, member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) , Susanne Mecklenburg, Head of the European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Office and Dr John Bell, the ‘Healthy Planet’ Director at the European Commission will address the conference.

Ireland’s Climate Youth Leader Oileán Carter Stritch and Frank McGovern, Chief Scientist at Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will also speak at the conference.Mr McGovern said: “We are delighted to bring ECCA2023 to Ireland for the first time, to inform and encourage climate adaptation action in Ireland and across Europe. We have an inspiring and diverse programme of state-of-the-art climate research, practical information on adaptation for climate policy and climate action practitioners and even arts performances.”

ECCA2023 is now fully booked for in-person attendees but the opening and closing sessions will be streamed live – register to join online here

The conference is being organised by JPI Climate with the MAGICA project, hosted by UCC and sponsored by EPA, ESA, Dublin City Council, CARO and the Government of Ireland.