Noel’s research, teaching, and community engagement focus on responses to the climate crisis and normative dimensions of rapid climate change mitigation. More specifically, his research explores issues pertaining to the politics of rapid decarbonization, social and political aspects of renewable energy transition, energy justice, just transitions, and the link between academic knowledge, political activism, and policymaking. Noel’s projects have secured over $170,000 in research grants and have spanned Ireland, the US, China, France, and Latin America. Recent projects include investigating the fossil fuel divestment movement, energy transitions in Massachusetts, energy justice in La Guajira Colombia, and decision making and civil society participation at the UNFCCC.
Noel received his PhD at the National University of Ireland, Galway and spent a research period at the Department of Environmental Science Policy and Management at UC, Berkeley. He is currently an associate professor in the geography department at Salem State University. During his sabbatical, Noel will also be exploring cross-scalar issues of global energy justice in the shift from coal to natural gas (investigating community impacts of open-pit coal mining in Colombia and hydraulic fracking in Pennsylvania). He is also actively involved in the fossil fuel divestment movement within the US.
RCC Research Project: Overcoming Carbon Lock-in: Fossil fuel Divestment and the Delegitimization of Fossil Fuels
Lunchtime Colloqium Video - Limiting Climate Chaos: The Case for Disruptive Climate Politics
Selected Publications:
- with John Barry. “Politicizing Energy Justice and Energy System Transitions: Fossil Fuel Divestment and a ‘Just Transition.’” Energy Policy 108 (2017): 451–59.
- with Jessica Debski. “Fossil Fuel Divestment: Implications for the Future of Sustainability Discourse and Action within Higher Education.” Local Environment 22, no. 6 (2017): 699–724.
- with Tazim Jamal. “Enclave Tourism.” In The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism, edited by Linda L. Lowry. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications Inc., 2017.
- with Carena J. van Riper and Stephen W. Boyd. “Low versus High Intensity Approaches to Interpretive Tourism Planning: The Case of the Cliffs of Moher, Ireland.” Tourism Management 52 (2016): 574–83.
- with Henrike Rau and John McDonagh. “Collaborative Tourism Planning in Ireland: Tokenistic Consultation and the Politics of Participation.” Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning 14, no. 4 (2012): 450–71.
- with John McDonagh. “Commodification and Conflict: What Can the Irish Approach to Protected Area Management Tell Us?” Society and Natural Resources 22. no. 4 (2009): 381–91.