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€6.5 Million All-Island Project to Improve Air Quality
A transformative €6.5 million investment has been approved for a pioneering project aimed at improving air quality across the island of Ireland. The Partnership for Evidence and Action on Clean Air (PEACE-Air), led by Letterkenny-based ERNACT (European Regions Network for the Application of Communications Technology), marks the first major cross-border initiative to address the shared challenge of air pollution.
Spanning 3.5 years, the project will bring together leading universities, local authorities, health bodies, and environmental agencies from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. It will also create 15 new specialised roles focused on air quality monitoring, socio economic research, community engagement, and policy development.
“PEACE-Air represents a significant investment in delivering clean air for our cross-border communities,” said ERNACT Chairperson, Cllr Jack Murray. “Air pollution knows no borders, and neither should our solutions. This project brings together experts and communities from both jurisdictions in a collaboration that will improve public health, protect our environment, and lay the foundation for long-term joint action on air quality.”
A United Front for Clean Air
Air pollution is the leading environmental health risk in Europe and is estimated to contribute to around 2,600 premature deaths annually across the island of Ireland. PEACE-Air will address the primary sources of air pollution – solid fuel use, road transport emissions, and agricultural ammonia – through an ambitious programme of research, citizen science, data-sharing, and public health engagement.
“This is a transformative moment for environmental cooperation on the island of Ireland,” said Dr Caitriona Strain, General Manager at ERNACT. “PEACE-Air will not only generate vital scientific evidence but also foster lasting partnerships that safeguard public health and our environment for generations to come.”
Innovative Actions with Long-Term Impact
The project will implement sensor-based monitoring in cross-border towns to assess road transport pollution and launch citizen science initiatives to empower local communities in air quality monitoring. It will also establish an all-island air quality data observatory and deliver training for health professionals to integrate air quality into clinical and public health practice. Further actions include establishing Ireland’s first accredited solid fuel testing laboratory, conducting research into ammonia emissions from agriculture and their impacts, and creating a cross-border policy forum to support sustained environmental cooperation.
Strong Cross-Border and Cross-Community Partnership
PEACE-Air is being delivered by a core consortium of 10 organisations: ERNACT, Donegal County Council, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Ulster University, Queen’s University Belfast, University College Cork, University of Galway, Technological University Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and the Institute of Public Health. It is further supported by 7 associate partners: Derry City & Strabane District Council, Clean Air Advocacy Ireland, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Environmental Health Association of Ireland, Asthma & Lung UK Northern Ireland, and the Irish Heart Foundation.
In addition, over 40 stakeholders, including government departments, schools, hospitals, NGOs, and community groups, will be actively engaged throughout the project. SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “PEACE-Air will be the first cross-border collaboration of its kind to tackle common air pollution challenges. “It delivers unique scientific capability from across the island of Ireland, ensuring inclusive geographic coverage of Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. “This funding demonstrates PEACEPLUS in action, bringing experts together to work on delivering positive change which will benefit the lives of so many people across our programme area by protecting and enhancing our natural environment.”
Towards the First Cross-Border Strategy for Clean Air
The project will culminate in the development of the first Cross-Border Clean Air Strategy fand Action Plan, laying the foundation for aligned policy and lasting cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
