Professional services firm Deloitte has committed €530,000 in funding to Dublin City University's centre for climate and society, a think tank devoted to research on the climate issue.
Deloitte said it would provide €176,000 annually for three years to enable the centre “to examine how different social arenas such as politics, media, education and policy can influence climate action.”
“This centre will investigate how change can be facilitated and enabled in business and beyond, through communication and media, strengthened through policy and governance frameworks, and driven through responses in our education system and in business,” Deloitte said.
Recent research from Deloitte revealed that concerns about climate change have increased significantly in recent months with 79 per cent of business executives acknowledging the world is at a climate change tipping point, compared to 59 per cent eight months prior.
Pressure
In addition, almost all (97 per cent) said their companies had been affected by climate change while chief sustainability officers are feeling the pressure to act. “Despite this, there is disconnect between ambition and action with companies less likely to implement actions that demonstrate they have embedded climate considerations into their culture and have the senior leader buy-in to effect meaningful transformation,” it said.
Harry Goddard, CEO of Deloitte Ireland said: "Irish businesses operating nationally and internationally recognise that the choices they make in the next decade will be critical to deliver decarbonisation at pace and scale."
“ The DCU centre for climate and society will play a leading role in developing the policies and frameworks we need to manage the climate challenge which is why Deloitte is very pleased to support it financially and professionally,” he said.
