Sustainability Institute delegates to bring climate research expertise to COP31

5 Nov 2026

University College Cork (UCC) is sending a delegation of students, academics and researchers to the United Nations COP31 Climate Change Conference in Turkey.

The summit, taking place in Antalya from 9–20 November, will bring together world leaders, policymakers, scientists and civil society representatives to assess progress on international climate commitments and negotiate further action to address the climate crisis.

UCC’s delegation to COP 31 includes researchers engaged with communities across Ireland on sustainability projects, lead authors of major international climate change reports and students engaged on the subject of climate change.

Speaking ahead of the delegation's departure, UCC President Professor John O'Halloran said:   "COP31 is an important opportunity to ensure that scientific evidence remains at the heart of global climate negotiations. UCC's participation reflects our determination to contribute to that international effort and to help accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient future."

UCC was the first Irish university to secure official observer status at the UN climate change negotiations, enabling its researchers and students to engage directly with the international climate policy process.

What we need now is greater urgency 

Professor Brian Ó Gallachóir, Associate Vice-President for Sustainability at UCC and Director of the University's Sustainability Institute, said: "The science on climate change is unequivocal. What we need now is greater urgency in translating international commitments into meaningful, measurable action. UCC's presence at COP31 is about more than observing the negotiations. It is about ensuring that the latest research informs decisions, that commitments are matched by credible action, and that the voices of researchers and the next generation are heard.

"International climate negotiations are complex, but their outcomes have very real consequences for communities, economies and future generations. We need to ensure that the decisions taken in Antalya deliver meaningful progress towards a safer and more sustainable future."

UCC's participation in COP31 reflects the University's longstanding leadership in sustainability and its commitment to connecting research, policy and public engagement to address the climate crisis.

With more than 500 researchers working across sustainability-related disciplines, UCC is internationally recognised for its expertise in climate science, energy transition, biodiversity and sustainable development. Research undertaken at UCC has helped inform Ireland's national climate and energy policies over the past 15 years, demonstrating the critical role of universities in translating scientific evidence into meaningful action.