News
Join the Dots Together items of interest
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Lent and Ramadan: Fasting, Faith and a Shared Call to Care for Our Common Home
This year, Lent and Ramadan once again unfold side by side — a powerful reminder that different faith traditions often walk similar spiritual paths at the same time. For Christians and Muslims alike, these sacred seasons invite believers to slow down, rediscover what truly matters, and renew relationships with God, neighbour, and creation. At a…
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What we read in January
Northern Ireland’s coastal communities are navigating a complex environmental landscape, balancing urgent climate realities with ambitious restoration projects that offer genuine hope for the future. The region faces stark challenges. Climate change isn’t a distant threat—it’s reshaping daily life right now. Belfast’s Maritime Festival is moving from September to June after last year’s washout, when…
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Why Imperfect Climate Action Is Better Than Perfect Inaction
The following article by Sophia Hurst is republished from https://www.earthday.org/ January 30, 2026 Every January people are encouraged to reinvent themselves. We make resolutions to eat better, move more, spend less, and waste less. We promise ourselves to quit plastic, go zero-waste, buy only ethical brands, and shrink our effect on climate change overnight. But…
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Why Religion Matters in Climate Conversations — New Research from LSE
Climate change isn’t just an environmental or economic challenge — it’s also a moral and cultural one that touches deeply on how people make sense of their world. That’s the central insight of a new London School of Economics article exploring why religion deserves a seat at the climate table, especially in contexts like the…
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Open DAERA Consultations You Can Respond To Now
Have Your Say on Northern Ireland’s Environment: Open DAERA Consultations You Can Respond To Now Public consultations are an important way for government to hear directly from people like us – citizens, community groups, businesses, farmers, faith communities and civil society, about policies that affect our environment, health and future. A consultation invites our views…
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Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education in Ireland
Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) 2026 Education for Sustainable Development in Higher Education in Ireland: A Landscape Report provides a comprehensive overview of how Irish higher education institutions are advancing Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) across teaching, research, campus life, and community engagement. Main Themes: Mapping ESD Practice: The report surveys how universities and institutes are…
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Let Justice Flow Like Rivers: Churches Gather in Hope and Action for Creation Care
On 17 January 2026, Christians from across traditions and communities gathered at the Canal Court Hotel, Newry, for the Let Justice Flow Like Rivers Creation Care Conference, a significant ecumenical moment of prayer, learning and shared commitment in response to the ecological crisis, with particular attention to the pollution of Lough Neagh. Members of the…
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The Ocean Never Forgets: Nine Years of Heat Records Signal Deepening Climate Crisis
by Edison Barbieri, Luca Fiorani https://www.cittanuova.it/loceano-non-dimentica-nove-anni-di-record-di-calore/ A major new scientific analysis shows that the world’s oceans reached the highest level of accumulated heat in recorded history in 2025, marking the ninth consecutive year of record-breaking ocean warmth — a trend that underscores the growing intensity of the climate crisis and its far-reaching consequences. Scientists from…
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Call for Papers: Education in the Anthropocene – deadline 6 March 2026
Are you researching or writing about how education can help society navigate the challenges of the Anthropocene — from climate change to inequality and transitions to a net-zero, nature-positive future? Humanities & Social Sciences Communications (a Nature Portfolio journal) has just opened submissions for a new curated Collection on Education in the Anthropocene — and…
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What we read in December
Northern Ireland is experiencing a wave of environmental progress, with communities, businesses, and government bodies all stepping up to create a more sustainable future. These stories paint a picture of a region that’s not just talking about climate action but is beginning to join the dots and make it happen. On the farming front, new…