British Council international initiative aims to cut carbon emissions
Ciara O'Connor - Emission Zero
26-year old Ciara O’Connor, environmental services manager at Emission Zero, is among 16 climate change advocates from Ireland and Northern Ireland selected by the British Council to participate in this year’s Challenge Europe initiative.
Following a nationwide search, O’Connor and the other advocates were selected by an independent panel that included representatives of the British Council’s partners on the project; Comhar Sustainable Development Council, Cultivate, the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Commission and Business in the Community Northern Ireland.
The Challenge Europe international program brings together young achievers from all walks of life to work together and develop practical ideas to reduce carbon emissions. The team of climate change advocates in Ireland will work with teams from 11 other European countries, creating a unique network of over 150 climate advocates. The international teams will research and develop approximately 30 practical ideas that will change the way we use carbon in order to reduce our carbon footprint.
Once challenges have been developed and concepts finalised, advocates will meet with and lobby experts and decision makers to turn these ideas and concepts into action. They will challenge entrepreneurs, corporations and other organisations to invest in and adopt their ideas and will participate in networking and dissemination activities in-country and internationally.
Challenge Europe advocate, Ciara O’Connor said: “I want to make a difference, to be part of the bigger picture and play my part in the climate change debate on a much larger scale. I look forward to learning as much as I can from this experience and getting exposure to other individuals and organisations that are making a real difference in this area.”
Liz McBain of the British Council said: “This is an opportunity, through cultural relations, for likeminded people across Europe to work together to try to affect change. They are the leaders of tomorrow who are determined to ensure that they don’t inherit climate chaos. We have found dynamic people with the passion and drive to challenge and transform the way we all use carbon, forever”.
EmissionZero is a division of Ecocem Materials Ltd (Ecocem). Traditionally focused on the construction industry and reducing Embodied CO2, Ecocem established EmissionZero to reduce the Carbon Footprint of consumers and business in Ireland, enabling them to become Carbon Neutral through investing in Verified Emission Reductions (VERs).