Green Foundation Ireland
OUR NEXT EVENT:
GLOBAL DOUGHNUT DAYS 2026
IN-PERSON FILM SCREENING
“The Cost of Growth”
Thurs 22 Oct 2026 – 18:30 to 20:30 (Irish time)
VENUE
Room 4027, TU Dublin, Aungier Street Campus, Dublin, D02 HW71.
ABOUT THE FILM
The Cost of Growth follows climate activists Anuna De Wever and Lena Hartog as they travel through Italy, Serbia, and Sápmi, documenting grassroots resistance to extractivism. The film connects these local struggles with broader debates on war, justice, and democracy – showing how extractive violence is a form of structural warfare on communities and ecosystems.
Through intimate encounters with grassroots movements, the film weaves together voices from affected communities and leading thinkers — such as Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Vijay Prashad, Greta Thunberg and Jason Hickel – to interrogate who truly pays for growth, how growth is defended and how we move beyond.
You can FIND OUT more about The Cost of Growth here
and VIEW stills and a trailer of the film here.
STEP INTO THE DOUGHNUT
Before the screening, at 17.30 participants are invited to take part in an optional interactive activity, Step into the Doughnut. This engaging session introduces the concept of Doughnut Economics and encourages participants to reflect on what it means to live within a “safe and just space” for humanity, where everyone’s needs can be met without exceeding planetary boundaries. Whether you are new to Doughnut Economics or already familiar with the concept, this activity provides a fun and accessible way to explore sustainable futures together.
You can check out more details, including how to book, here
OUR MOST RECENT EVENTS:
IN-PERSON LECTURE
“Narratives of Green Growth and
Degrowth in Popular Hollywood Film”
Wed 7 Oct 2026 – 14:00 to 16:00 (Irish time)
VENUE
Room 1/003, School of Creative Arts, Queen’s University Belfast
27 University Square, Belfast, BT7 1NN.
THEME
As we breach so many planetary boundaries, film and media must address the dilemma of western over-consumption and the resulting need for economic degrowth – or at least some form of green growth, which the EU has been promoting up to recently. This can be illustrated by Hollywood’s ongoing fixation with ‘saving the planet’ and cautionary science fiction storylines that often call attention to problems around over-consumption and the urgent need for degrowth. Examples used to illustrate the lecture include WALL-E, Downsizing, the Avatar franchise and the Netflix hit, Don’t Look Up.
OUR GUEST LECTURER
PAT BRERETON is Emeritus Professor at Dublin City University and is Chair of Green Foundation Ireland (GFI). His latest book is Farming in Ireland: Crisis and Climate – An Oral History from the Irish Midlands (Wordwell, 2026). Over much of his academic career, Pat has remained preoccupied with how fictional (and documentary) narratives serve to address the climate emergency.
You can check out more details here
ONLINE TALK
“REDUCING PACKAGING WASTE:
An Introduction to the PPWR EU Regulation”
Tues 25 Aug 2026 – 19:00 to 20:00 (Irish time)
By Zoom (log-on details will be issued nearer the time to those who register)
THEME
The upcoming European Union Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is designed to reduce packaging waste. This talk introduces the rationale, as well as key articles to be aware of as a consumer and the changes you may notice as the laws are implemented.
OUR GUEST SPEAKER
Ciaran Monahan is a postdoctoral researcher in University College Dublin. His research interests include education, environmental risk assessment, and food safety. He has completed a number of works for Green Foundation Ireland, including an analysis of sustainability topics in the Leaving Certificate, module development for transition years, as well as event hosting.
You can check out more details here
NATIONAL HERITAGE WEEK
IN-PERSON CELEBRATORY AFTERNOON
“A Celebration of the Camac”
Sat 22 Aug 2026 – 14:30 to 16:30 (Irish time)
VENUE
Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA),
Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, D08 FW31.
THEME
This is an opportunity for all those interested in protecting the River Camac as a resource to come together in a celebration of the river through short talks, music and poetry.
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Our speakers include:
BRIAN RONAN and MARIA O’CONNOR, Friends of the Camac
TOBY O’MAHONY ADAMS, Treasure the Tolka (TREA)
RUTH GAJ McKEEVER, River Basin Management Service
MARY-LIZ WALSHE, Dublin City Council
CATHERINE ANN CULLEN, Poet and Singer/Songwriter
You can check out more details here
Photo by: MICHAEL PIDGEON
ONLINE TALK
“Advantages of a Plant-Based Food System”
Wed 10 Jun 2026 – 19:00 to 20:00 (Irish time)
By Zoom (log-on details will be issued nearer the time to those who register)
THEME
In 2023 the Danish Government – the first country in the world – published a Danish Action Plan for Plant-Based Foods. In its preface, the Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Jacob Jensen from the Liberal Party of Denmark, stated that “plant-based foods are the future” and that increasing the production and consumption of plant-based foods will help solve a whole list of societal challenges ranging from health to environment.
In this talk we will explore the benefits of Ireland taking steps towards a plant-based food system.
OUR GUEST SPEAKER
James O’Donovan graduated from University College Cork in 1989 and has worked as an engineer in the US and South Africa. In 2003 he completed an MSc in Holistic Science at Schumacher College in Devon. He became vegetarian in 1991 after reading John Robbins’ book Diet for a New America (1987, Stillpoint) and became vegan in 2011.
In 2018 he set up and co-edited the online magazine Vegan Sustainability with Bronwyn Slater of The Irish Vegan until 2024. In 2022 they started working with others to set up the Vegan Society of Ireland. He currently works part-time as a training provider for community groups on sustainability issues.
You can check out more details here
ONLINE DISCUSSION
“FROM POLICY TO PLANET:
How Ireland’s EU Presidency Can Lead on Nature and Climate”
Thurs 14 May 2026 – 19:00 to 20:00 (Irish time)
By Zoom (log-on details will be issued nearer the time to those who register)
THEME
The focus of this online panel discussion is the impact the Irish Presidency of the EU will have on the areas of climate action and nature restoration. We would like to inform members of the public, as well as those involved in environmental activism, of the opportunities and challenges that the EU Presidency brings, what actions, debates, or decisions they should be watching out for during the Presidency, and how they can influence these discussions.
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Ciarán Cuffe former MEP and currently Co-Chair European Greens (Chair of our panel discussion).
Lynn Boylan MEP Member of Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety.
Oisín Coghlan Policy Adviser, Irish Environmental Network.
You can check out more details here
IN-PERSON FILM SCREENING and PANEL DISCUSSION
“The Tolka – This is Your River”
Thurs 16 Apr 2026 – 19:30 to 21:00 (Irish time)
VENUE
National Botanic Gardens,
Glasnevin, Dublin, D09 VY63.
THEME
The Tolka – This is Your River shows what communities can achieve when it comes to environmental sustainability. For example, this film highlights the work of the Tolka River Environmental Alliance (TREA) which is made up of activists from Blanchardstown who not only help to stock the river with brown trout but also highlight the dangers of pollution which have led to significant fish kills. It is hoped that this film will also encourage younger generations to get involved in the preservation of what is really a hidden gem in Dublin – the River Tolka.
You can view the trailer of The Tolka – This is Your River here.
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Our panelists include:
LAURA RIBERO, DCU Water Institute
JOHN GORMLEY, Producer and Director of The Tolka – This is Your River
DARREN REIDY, National Botanic Gardens
Our panel discussion will be facilitated by PAT BRERETON, Chair of Green Foundation Ireland.
You can check out more details here
Photo by: MARTIN NOLAN, Director of
Green Foundation Ireland
IN-PERSON CONFERENCE
“Sustainable Food Systems
What is the role of universities in making Ireland’s
food system more sustainable?”
Tues 17 Feb 2026 – 09:30 to 16:00 (Irish time)
VENUE
Room B54, TUS Athlone,
University Road, Athlone, County Westmeath, N37 HD68.
THEME
The theme of our conference will be exploring how universities can help to transform Ireland’s food systems. Topics such as sustainable diets, food poverty, supporting regenerative farming, procurement, food education and research will be explored on the day with expert input and round-table discussions. Working groups will also meet later in the day, focusing on a range of topics including scholar activism, education, Irish language, AI and tech justice.
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Ruth Hegarty, a leading voice for sustainable food policies.
Lisa Fingleton, artist, film-maker, writer and grower
A representative from Talamh Beo
You can check out more details here
Photo by: STIOFÁN NUTTY
UPDATES:
RIGHTS FOR NATURE
Green Foundation Ireland is part of the Supporter Network of Rights for Nature, a global legal and cultural movement advocating to recognise ecosystems – such as rivers, forests, oceans, bogs, and mountains – as legal entities with inherent rights to exist, thrive, and regenerate. Just like humans. It shifts environmental protection from exploiting resources to enforcing legal rights on behalf of nature.
Nature keeps us alive. It filters our water, stabilises our climate, and sustains the food we eat. Yet under European law, it has no rights, it cannot be represented, and it cannot defend itself. Rights for Nature is the legal idea that changes that. Rights for Nature is officially registered with the European Commission.
European citizens are uniting to call on the EU to recognise ecosystems as rights-holders rather than property. Starting on 13 October 2026, one million signatures will be collected to bring this demand before the European Commission and shift the foundation of Europe’s environmental law.
You can sign the petition here
CLIMATE CHANGE PODCAST SERIES
Code Red
Code Red is a climate change podcast from the Centre for Climate and Society at Dublin City University. The Code Red series looks at how the worlds of policy, politics, the media, the arts, and other sectors have responded to climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. Code Red features an interesting and diverse mix of guests from academia, policy, the cultural industries and civil society.
HONORARY FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF DUBLIN
Awarded to: Duncan Stewart and Greta Thunberg
On 21 June 2023, two environmental activists – DUNCAN STEWART and GRETA THUNBERG – were awarded the Honorary Freedom of the City of Dublin, the highest honour that can be bestowed by Dublin City.
Duncan, Patron of Green Foundation Ireland, has been a leading Irish advocate for environmental issues for over 40 years. A champion for environmental issues, sustainable energy and architectural conservation since his student days, for the past two decades Duncan has also been a popular television personality in Ireland. Duncan’s Eco Eye series was driven by his interests in the protection of Ireland’s environment and enhancement of biodiversity. It was Ireland’s longest running environmental series and one of the most popular shows on Irish television – there were twenty-one series in total and all available episodes can be found on our website, courtesy of Duncan.
Greta, from Sweden, is the world’s most prominent global climate campaigner of our time. She has worked to address the problem of climate change and, at the age of 15 in 2018, founded the movement known as Fridays for Future (also called School Strike for Climate), which gained worldwide attention and inspired school students across the globe to participate.
You can view our video here
CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY ON BIODIVERSITY LOSS
Submission by Green Foundation Ireland
In September 2022 Green Foundation Ireland made a submission to the Citizens’ Assembly on the topic “How the State can improve its response to the issue of biodiversity loss”.
The Citizens’ Assembly is a body comprising the Chairperson and 99 citizens, randomly selected to be broadly representative of the Irish electorate, established to consider some of the most important issues facing Ireland’s future.
We would like to thank COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON and FIONN KEELEY for allowing us to use their videos as part of our submission.
You can read our submission here
WHAT WE DO
Green Foundation Ireland hosts seminars, workshops and conferences to demonstrate how practical action can create systems change in both education for sustainability, and work towards a green economy and society.
We work on local and Island of Ireland projects and with partners in Scotland, England and Wales, and the European mainland.
RESOURCES FOR ECOLOGICAL EDUCATION
In association with Green European Foundation, GFI publishes eco literature, both online and hardcopy, and circulates the European Green Journal. All available episodes of the Eco Eye programmes, hosted by GFI’s Patron Duncan Stewart, are available courtesy of Duncan.
All of the above can be found in the Resources Section of our website.
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VALUES AND VISION
GFI has a vision of ecology that values the life of all creatures on our planetary home and is embodied in practical action for a sustainable life for all.
We encourage participation by people and communities in finding practical local responses to intractable problems.
We tell stories of resilience and change in the face of adversity, based on good science and community action.
MEMBERSHIPS and AFFILIATIONS
GFI is a member of the Irish Environmental Network – www.ien.ie
GFI is a member of the Environmental Pillar – www.environmentalpillar.ie
GFI is a member of the Northern Ireland Environment Link – www.nienvironmentlink.org
GFI is affiliated to the Green European Foundation – www.gef.eu
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GFI thanks the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment for the funding it receives through the Irish Environmental Network.
GFI also acknowledges the support of the European Parliament through funding for projects agreed with Green European Foundation.
