Met Éireann Awards €2.8m to Universities for Climate and Flood Research

Met Éireann has announced €2.8 million in funding for six university research projects focused on developing climate services and flood forecasting models, with University College Cork leading three of the awarded projects.

The funding, distributed through the Met Éireann Research Call 2024, supports innovative projects addressing climate change, extreme weather events and environmental sustainability. UCC researchers will receive nearly €1.2 million across three projects, marking a significant investment in Cork's climate research capabilities.

The awards form part of Met Éireann's Weather and Climate Research Programme, which aims to strengthen national research capacity in weather and climate sciences through high-impact projects. Since 2018, the programme has directly funded €10.3 million in research across Irish academic institutions.

University College Cork secured the highest number of projects, with researchers leading three initiatives: BRACE (Building Resilience and Adaptation Capacity for future extreme Events), CLIMB (CLImate services for Multi-sector Benefits), and ClimEnergise (Climate-Informed Energy Systems Planning to Support Ireland's Net Zero Ambitions).

University of Galway received funding for two projects: T3UD (TRANSLATE-3: Underpinning Data) and IMUFF (Integrated MUlti-model multi-hazard Flood Forecasting). Maynooth University will lead the EXACT project (EXtremes Across Climates and Timeframes).

Eoin Moran, Director of Met Éireann, said: "These research projects represent critical contributions to both national and international efforts to address climate change, extreme weather, and environmental sustainability. As a proud supporter of innovative research, Met Éireann is committed to ongoing exploration that supports adaptive responses and strategic planning for improved climate resilience."

Professor John Cryan, Vice President for Research and Innovation at University College Cork, said: "We are immensely proud of our researchers at UCC who will lead half of the research projects announced today by Met Éireann. These awards will further strengthen UCC's global leadership in sustainability research and deliver significant positive societal impact while also addressing key environmental challenges."

The TRANSLATE climate flagship programme projects will continue Met Éireann's initiative to optimise standardised climate projections for Ireland. These projects will expand understanding of climate change impacts into annual to decadal timeframes and explore how extreme events are changing.

Dr Paraic Ryan from UCC will lead the BRACE project, which will assess compound and cascading risks through case studies including Storm Ophelia. The four-year project will collaborate with Transport Infrastructure Ireland to inform national adaptation strategies whilst engaging the public through storytelling and multimedia tools.

Dr Paul Holloway, also from UCC, will head the CLIMB project, developing multi-sector climate risk models using machine learning and virtual reality communication strategies. The two-year initiative will enhance sectoral linkages across biodiversity, health, transport and agriculture.

Dr Vahid Aryanpur's ClimEnergise project at UCC will address Ireland's energy sector vulnerability to climate variability, particularly concerning weather-dependent renewables. The research will evaluate impacts of climate risks, such as extended low wind during cold spells, on energy supply and demand.

Professor Lokesh Joshi, Interim Vice-President for Research and Innovation at the University of Galway, said:

"These awards recognise the strength of University of Galway's research in vital areas such as delivering advanced climate projections and improving flood forecasting. Together, these projects will help deliver real benefits to communities in Ireland as we face more extreme weather events and a changing climate."

The flood forecasting research, led by Dr Indiana Olbert at University of Galway, aims to develop an integrated system addressing compound coastal-fluvial flooding. With over 300 Irish communities at risk from various flood types, the IMUFF project will deliver high-resolution, short-term flood forecasts using AI-generated time series and water depth maps.

Professor Rachel Msetfi, Vice President for Research and Innovation at Maynooth University, said:

"The EXACT project exemplifies this mission: combining the leadership and expertise of Professor Conor Murphy with the strengths of an interdisciplinary team across climate science and business. This work will generate critical insights into how climate extremes are evolving and how Ireland can adapt."

The Research Call 2024 attracted nearly 80 per cent of applications from researchers new to the Weather and Climate Research Programme, demonstrating the growing reach of the initiative and increased number of active researchers in weather and climate science across Ireland.

These projects will commence over the coming months, with durations ranging from two to four years, promising significant advances in Ireland's climate resilience and adaptation capabilities.