Karin Dubsky
Encyclopedia
Karin Dubsky, born 1954, is a German-Irish marine ecologist working in Trinity College Dublin, and is the coordinator and co-founder of Coastwatch Europe
, an environmental NGO and a member of the European Environmental Bureau
.
Dubsky speaks and campaigns regularly on environmental issues, especially affecting water quality, wetlands, dunes and bathing beaches, in the Irish media.
She has worked professionally in environmental education, and in research and practical projects ranging from wetland protection, over waste, oil and litter prevention and control, coastal zone management, environmental law and biodiversity policy. She co-designed the Blue Flag for Beaches
award programme, co-founded the Irish Clean Air Group, an inter-disciplinary group from TCD and hospitals led by Dr. Luke Clancy, which successfully lobbied for the introduction of smokeless fuel in Ireland, and set up an international volunteer eco-audit of the coast which spread to 23 countries. Data from the survey were used by OSPAR and the EEA
.
Data from the Coastwatch survey were also used to lobby for a plastic bag tax in Ireland
which, when introduced, was the first in Europe and brought plastic bag litter down from over 54 per km of shoreline to around 3-4.
She co-authored the chapter on public participation and communication in the World Health Organisation's Practical Guide to the Design and Implementation of Assessments and Monitoring Programmes for bathing waters
Dubsky was appointed to the environmental pillar of Ireland's social partnership
in May 2009 and is on NESC (The National Economic and Social Council, the Dublin Regional Authority's Dublin Bay Task Force and the Wexford Local Development Board. She was a member of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board from 2005–2010, and Comhar.
She withdrew from the Seanad Election of 2011
due to an oversight in official registration of her Irish citizenship over forty years previously, which could not be rectified in time for the beginning of the election.
estuary habitat restoration) and High Court injunctive relief to halt creosote sludge dumping in Waterford Port
. Dubsky instigated and persisted with EC complaints which ended in the European Court of Justice
and belatedly resulted in improvements to landfill sites, provision of compensatory habitat and restoration of wetlands.
Halting illegal cockle dredging in Waterford estuary with both media and Senate support.
Exposing wrecking of Kilmuckridge-Tinnaberna Sandhills
and together with other Coastwatchers halted the cattle storage and pollution. A restoration order now in place is just being implemented.
Third Level Education: BA Zoology from Trinity College Dublin and Masters in Environmental Sciences taken partly in Galway, completed in Trinity College Dublin.
. She now lives in Ballymoney, Co Wexford, married to Paul Dubsky, with three sons - Stephan, Paul and Eoin - all working abroad and a daughter Julia who recently started college.
Coastwatch Europe
Coastwatch Europe is a voluntary organisation which monitors the coastal and wetland environments of several European countries, campaigns for improvements to environmental policies and for the implementation of existing environmental legislation, and organises public information events and seminars...
, an environmental NGO and a member of the European Environmental Bureau
European Environmental Bureau
The European Environmental Bureau is a federation of over 140 environmental citizens’ organisations based in all 27 European Union Member States, potential Member States and a few neighbouring countries. These organisations range from local and national, to European and international...
.
Dubsky speaks and campaigns regularly on environmental issues, especially affecting water quality, wetlands, dunes and bathing beaches, in the Irish media.
She has worked professionally in environmental education, and in research and practical projects ranging from wetland protection, over waste, oil and litter prevention and control, coastal zone management, environmental law and biodiversity policy. She co-designed the Blue Flag for Beaches
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
award programme, co-founded the Irish Clean Air Group, an inter-disciplinary group from TCD and hospitals led by Dr. Luke Clancy, which successfully lobbied for the introduction of smokeless fuel in Ireland, and set up an international volunteer eco-audit of the coast which spread to 23 countries. Data from the survey were used by OSPAR and the EEA
EEA
EEA or Eea may refer to:* Eea or Electron affinity, the energy required to detach an electron from a singly charged negative ion* River Eea, in Cumbria, England* EEA Helicopter Operations, a Dutch subsidiary of CHC Helicopter...
.
Data from the Coastwatch survey were also used to lobby for a plastic bag tax in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
which, when introduced, was the first in Europe and brought plastic bag litter down from over 54 per km of shoreline to around 3-4.
She co-authored the chapter on public participation and communication in the World Health Organisation's Practical Guide to the Design and Implementation of Assessments and Monitoring Programmes for bathing waters
Dubsky was appointed to the environmental pillar of Ireland's social partnership
Social Partnership
Social partnership is the term used for the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements reached in Ireland.The process was initiated in 1987, following a period of high inflation and weak economic growth which led to increased emigration and unsustainable government borrowing and national debt...
in May 2009 and is on NESC (The National Economic and Social Council, the Dublin Regional Authority's Dublin Bay Task Force and the Wexford Local Development Board. She was a member of the Eastern Regional Fisheries Board from 2005–2010, and Comhar.
She withdrew from the Seanad Election of 2011
Members of the 24th Seanad
This is a list of the members of the 24th Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas of Ireland. These Senators were elected on 27 April 2011 after postal voting closed. The Taoiseach's nominees were announced on 20 May 2011. The Seanad election took place 60 days after the 2011 general...
due to an oversight in official registration of her Irish citizenship over forty years previously, which could not be rectified in time for the beginning of the election.
Court Cases
Karin took a number of court cases as an individual and as part of Coastwatch. These include a Supreme Court decision that government must give reasons for opinions (BoyneBoyne
Several terms incorporating the word "Boyne" include:* Boann, the Irish goddess after whom the river is named* Boyne River * Boyne Falls, Michigan,* Boyne Resorts, a ski resort company in Michigan...
estuary habitat restoration) and High Court injunctive relief to halt creosote sludge dumping in Waterford Port
Port of Waterford
The Port of Waterford is situated several kilometres downstream of Waterford City on the northern side of the Suir river in South County Kilkenny, and is called Belview...
. Dubsky instigated and persisted with EC complaints which ended in the European Court of Justice
European Court of Justice
The Court can sit in plenary session, as a Grand Chamber of 13 judges, or in chambers of three or five judges. Plenary sitting are now very rare, and the court mostly sits in chambers of three or five judges...
and belatedly resulted in improvements to landfill sites, provision of compensatory habitat and restoration of wetlands.
Environmental Lobbying
Dubsky campaigned for reform of legislation including public information on water quality of bathing beaches, which was introduced in Ireland ahead of other countries.Some other specific actions taken by Karin include
Drawing public and official attention to Dublin area raw sewage problems by gaining access to official water monitoring results and organising citizen sewage reports. Researched treatment options and lobbied for a tertiary treatment plant.Halting illegal cockle dredging in Waterford estuary with both media and Senate support.
Exposing wrecking of Kilmuckridge-Tinnaberna Sandhills
Kilmuckridge-Tinnaberna Sandhills
The Kilmuckridge-Tinnaberna Sandhills are a system of clay cliffs, sand dunes, wet woodland, and gently undulating fixed dunes, known as sand hills, in County Wexford, Ireland. The area was surveyed and described during the 1990s and was designated a Special Area of Conservation...
and together with other Coastwatchers halted the cattle storage and pollution. A restoration order now in place is just being implemented.
Awards and Achievements
- Honorary Fellow of the Irish Hotel and Catering Industry (since 2000)
- Environmental Merit Award 2007. From the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (Ireland branch).
- Designed the Biodiversity and EU enlargement monumnent, erected in Malahide Castle, 2002.
- Drafted the Wexford Wetlands county inventory with Wexford County Council, as first inventory in Ireland.
Education
Second Level Education: Newtown School WaterfordThird Level Education: BA Zoology from Trinity College Dublin and Masters in Environmental Sciences taken partly in Galway, completed in Trinity College Dublin.
Personal life
Karin was born in Bonn in Germany and grew up on a farm straddling Bannow Bay Co. WexfordWexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
. She now lives in Ballymoney, Co Wexford, married to Paul Dubsky, with three sons - Stephan, Paul and Eoin - all working abroad and a daughter Julia who recently started college.