S6E4 – Unlocking the Potential of our Inland Waterways

Daithí chats with Cormac McCarthy, Climate & Sustainability Manager at Waterways Ireland about how the organisation is streamlining climate and biodiversity matters throughout the vast network of waterways, greenways, and blueways they are tasked with managing and maintaining. Cormac speaks to the responsibility of public bodies and the level of impact they can have in driving sustainable change and the actions Waterways Ireland are taking towards climate mitigation and adaption. We learn about the innovative measures being taken within the organisation from swapping diesel for hydrotreated vegetable oils to using Natural Capital Accounting to quantify the monetary value of an ecosystem service. Thanks very much to Emma Sheridan for support with research, design and promotion.   **Links:** 1\. Waterways Ireland: https://www.waterwaysireland.org/ 2\. Inland Fisheries Ireland: https://www.fisheriesireland.ie/ 3\. Water Framework Directive: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/water/water-framework-directive\_en 4\. Waterways Ireland Climate Action Plan https://www.waterwaysireland.org/getmedia/e97f25a0-0584-4c39-8551-c81e6de0c5de/WI-Climate-Action-Plan.pdf?ext=.pdf 5\. Wildlife (Amendment) Act 2000: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2000/act/38/enacted/en/print.html 6\. Toxic algae in Lough Neagh: https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/why-lough-neagh-dying-northern-irelands-most-precious-wildlife-site-facing-disaster 7\. Natural Capital Accounting: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/natural-capital-accounting\_en 8\. TCD INCASE Project: https://www.tcd.ie/e3/news/accounting-for-nature-a-priority-for-irelands-prosperity--new-report/ 9\. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil: https://www.seai.ie/blog/hvo-can-be-part-of-our-cl 10\. Term ‘Carbon footprint’ coined by British Petroleum: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/23/big-oil-coined-carbon-footprints-to-blame-us-for-their-greed-keep-them-on-the-hook 11\. Renewables are the cheapest form of energy: https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/renewables-cheapest-form-power 12\. Norway electric car sales: Fossil cars all but phased out in Norway as EV sales hit 98 pct, and just 12 petrol cars sold - The Driven IO