Marine and Coastal Oceans, seas and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the Earth’s ecosystem and are critical to sustainable development. They cover more than two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, contain 97% of the planet’s water, and are huge reservoirs of biodiversity. Oceans contribute to poverty eradication by creating sustainable livelihoods and decent work. Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal resources for their livelihoods. Oceans are crucial for global food security and human health. In 2013, fish provided more than 3.1 billion people with almost 20% of their average per capita intake of animal protein. However, the sustainability of both capture fisheries and aquaculture systems is a major challenge. In 2014, the world’s population consumed more farmed fish than wild-caught fish. Ocean and coastal areas are major contributors to the global economy and fundamental to global well-being; through direct economic activities, provision of environmental services, and as home to the majority of the world’s population. More than 40% of the world’s population (more than 2.8 billion people) live within 100 kilometres of the coast. The Ryan Institute’s Centre for Ocean Research & Exploration (COREx) conducts research to improve sustainability of both marine and coastal systems and is the leading university users in Ireland of research vessels such as the Celtic Explorer. Our oceans are also the primary regulator of the global climate, being an important sink for greenhouse gases, and they provide us with water and the oxygen we breathe. The Ryan Institute’s SFI iCRAG (Galway) Centre researchers are conducting geosciences research to address key research challenges in the fields of energy security, raw materials supply, groundwater protection, safeguarding the geomarine environment and protection from the Earth’s hazards. The major thrusts of Ryan Institute sustainable development research and innovation are focused on marine, agrifood, energy, climate change and environmental health systems.
Energy and Climate Change Energy is an essential factor for future sustainable development and improving the livelihoods of people in all countries. Nevertheless, it is estimated that in 2015 about 2.8 billion people still had no access to modern energy services and over 1.1 billion did not have electricity. Furthermore, around 4.3 million people were dying prematurely every year due to indoor pollution resulting from cooking and heating with unsustainable fuels. Transitioning all economies and societies to sustainable energy production and consumption patterns now stands at the centre of global efforts to induce a paradigm shift toward low-carbon energy systems, green economies, poverty eradication and ultimately sustainable development. The Ryan Institute’s Energy Research Centre (ERC) and SFI MaREI Galway are at the forefront of research efforts to transition to more sustainable energy systems. Energy systems and climate change are inter- twined. Due to global warming arising from use of non-sustainable energy sources, climate change will have a dramatic and largely negative effect on our economies, societies, and environments and poses major challenges to future sustainable development in all countries. Both climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation measures need to be deployed at scale across all sectors and countries, if future human populations and livelihoods are to transition to a more sustainable trajectory than at present. The Ryan Institute’s Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS) conducts research in the area of atmospheric composition, climate change and natural feedbacks, air–sea exchange, and air quality impacts on health and ecosystems. Agriculture and BioEconomy In 2019, the human population reached 7.7 billion people, all of whom have requirements for food,
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