Mary Robinson, Former President of Ireland; Chair, The Elders; Co-Founder, Project Dandelion speaking at the 2024 Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference
SSE Renewables recently supported the 2024 Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference, which took place from in early June in Ballina, County Mayo.
This was the second year of an annual conference hosted in the West of Ireland hometown of first woman President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of The Elders, Mary Robinson.
This year’s conference was renamed to the Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference to emphasise the importance of a collective response to the global challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Throughout the three-day conference, a range of speakers from across the globe engaged with community actors, academics, policymakers and industry, in a collective conversation to reinforce everyone’s shared responsibility in addressing these issues.
The three-day event kicked off with an insightful in-conversation talk on Project Dandelion, a woman-led global campaign for Climate Justice spearheaded by Mary Robinson. A renowned and passionate advocate for climate justice and gender equality, Mary Robinson led this discussion by underscoring the need to embrace hope, approaching the future with a positive mindset and determination that through a collective response we can secure a safe climate future for all.
Emma Kerins, Head of External Relations for SSE Renewables in Ireland, spoke on the second day of the conference, highlighting SSE Renewables' footprint in Ireland. She stressed that shared responsibility is crucial when it comes to accelerating the rollout of renewable energy in Ireland.
Commenting on the conference, Emma Kerins said:
“SSE Renewables was proud to be a sponsor and supporter of this year’s Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference. It was inspiring to hear from Mary Robinson, as well as the other speakers that participated in the conference. It is clear that through collective action we can make significant strides in tackling climate change and achieving our net zero targets.
“SSE Renewables is committed to working with stakeholders of all kinds in Ireland, and across the globe, to power change through the operation, development and construction of renewable energy assets. That’s why we’re particularly pleased and privileged to have been able to participate in and support initiatives like the Mary Robinson Climate and Nature Conference in a way that meaningfully fosters collaboration and drives progress."