*Sharmila Bano, Conor Anderson, Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, Gráinne Ryan, Climate Action Programme Manager.
KILKEE’s Sharmila Bano has received a Climate Ambassador Award from An Taisce.
Citizens passionate about protecting the plant are honoured in the awards which also recognise their local efforts to reduce the impact of climate change in Ireland.
A natural climate communicator, with an affinity for youth education and inclusion, Sharmila transitioned BT Young Scientist’s student interactions into peer-to-peer learning workshops with schools in West Clare. She designed and implemented a Youth Education Program called ‘Awareness to Action’ for 85 students in 9 local schools exploring climate-conscious topics through conversations and games.
She is described as a ‘future citizen’, someone who is not just safeguarding their local community today, but also working to protect our future planet and the future of many generations to come.
Credentials in Sharmila’s community engagement are also evident in how she helped others learn about energy consumption and set up The Loop Head Climate Action Team. She organised clothes recycling and participated in the Big River Watch. She is also at the beginning of an exciting and much-needed initiative called The Active Hope Programme which aims to ease eco-anxiety and develop resilience in young people.
148 Climate Ambassadors were trained by An Taisce’s Climate Action Team earlier this year, and together they delivered 658 climate actions, directly engaging over 265,000 people. The group also released 2,375 climate communications, reaching an estimated 4.5 million people in 2024. The ambassadors come from a wide range of backgrounds including primary school teachers, secondary school students and teachers, university students, academics, farmers, and businesspeople.
Every Climate Ambassador was recognised with a framed certificate, and ten including Sharmila were distinguished with special awards for their impactful climate actions. Throughout the year, they engaged their networks with biodiversity, circular fashion, education, nature restoration, youth communications, sustainable travel, sustainable energy, tree planting, rewilding, flood prevention, degrowth, food waste, and environmental advocacy.
In addition to their impact and extensive list of achievements, the awardees were also commended for uniting communities, boosting neighbourhood bonds, building trust, bridging generational gaps, and raising hope for our future. This intergenerational programme, which is funded by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and has been in operation since 2017, continues to expand, as proactive citizens decide to upskill in climate science, solutions and communications, enabling them, with support from An Taisce, to carry out climate actions.
Throughout the year they are asked to undertake four key tasks – two climate communications and two climate actions, though many participants achieve much more. This programme allows individuals to join a strong network of dedicated people who share knowledge, gain insight from one another, and forge long-lasting friendships.
Sharmila said, “The Climate Ambassador Programme training was very empowering. It helped me to move from guilt activism to positive activism. I learned so much and was inspired by the infectious hope of the next generation in exchange for my knowledge”.
“An Taisce has no doubt that Sharmila will continue to inspire others to take action locally in Clare and further afield,” said Gráinne Ryan, Climate Action Manager in An Taisce.
