Carbon Cycles and Sinks Network Events

The purpose of the Carbon Cycles and Sinks project, launched in late 2008, is to develop policies which will enable the Irish land mass to become a carbon sink rather than a source of greenhouse emissions. More information at www.carboncyclesandsinks.org .

Low External Input Agriculture: the only road to a sustainable food supply – April 28th

Two public lectures hosted by the Carbon Cycles and Sinks Network and Gorta. The first lecture, "Organic farming's role in improving food security and combatting climate change", features Gundala Azeez as the speaker. The second, "Biochar's role in increasing fertility and reducing fertiliser use", will be presented by Dr. Witold Kwapinski and David Friese-Greene.

Curing the Climate: It’s not just about cutting fossil fuels, you know

An evening of presentations and discussion, chaired by Molly Walsh of Friends of the Earth.

The international effort to prevent catastrophic climate change has concentrated on carbon dioxide reductions and other possible part-solutions such as reducing black carbon have been ignored. Richard Douthwaite of Feasta presented the case for a more diversified approach to the climate crisis and, in a second presentation, Corinna Byrne of the Carbon Cycles and Sinks Network set out ways in which changes in the way the land is used can remove some of the carbon already in the air.…

2010 Feasta Climate Group Meeting

The annual Climate Group meeting was held near the Findhorn Community in Scotland. We started with our usual public meeting on the evening of Thursday 25th February and broke up at lunchtime on Sunday, February 28th, in time for most people to travel home and be at work the following day. We had sole use of Newbold House, which was built as a hotel and is now a retreat centre, during our stay. See www.newboldhouse.org.…

Corinna Byrne – Carbon Cycles and Sinks; refocussing the purpose and use of land

Corinna Byrne examined the policies needed to get Irish land to absorb CO2 rather than release it. Besides discussing how the large amounts of carbon locked up in peatlands can be safeguarded, she reviewed the role that biochar could play in reducing nitrous oxide and methane emissions and building up the fertility and carbon content of the soil.