What is Noise 2050
Noise 2050 is an ambitious journey into Ireland’s future noise environment, carried out through three PhD projects, each exploring a different angle of noise and its management. Researchers from Trinity College Dublin (TCD), University College Dublin (UCD), and the University of Galway (UG) are working together, combining their expertise to understand, predict, and tackle the noise challenges of tomorrow. The project began in the second half of 2025 and is set to continue until 2029.
This pioneering research initiative addresses the critical issue of noise pollution, which is a significant but often overlooked environmental and public health challenge. With increasing urbanisation, evolving transportation technologies, and ambitious climate goals, understanding and managing noise pollution has become more important than ever. The project will:
Forecast Ireland’s national noise environment out to 2050 (transport, renewables, new tech).
Engage citizens in the country’s first large-scale participatory noise-monitoring campaign.
Design & test next-generation mitigation solutions and provide policy guidance.
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Noise2050 contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals by tackling noise pollution and its impacts on health, equity, and urban environments. The project supports Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by reducing noise-related health risks such as cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbance, and stress. It advances Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by addressing disproportionate noise exposure in vulnerable communities, ensuring more equitable access to quiet and healthy spaces. Finally, it promotes Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by guiding urban planning and interventions that create quieter, more liveable, and inclusive cities for current and future generations.
Why it Matters
Noise 2050 is about more than just reducing noise – it’s about creating healthier, more liveable cities for the future. Noise pollution is a growing public health concern, linked to heart disease, stress, sleep disturbances, and impaired childhood development. It’s also a significant barrier to achieving our climate goals, as many renewable energy technologies and transport innovations come with their own noise challenges. By understanding and predicting future noise levels, Noise 2050 aims to protect our communities, improve public health, and ensure a sustainable, quieter environment for generations to come.
Zero Pollution Action Plan
As part of the European Green Deal, the EU aims to reduce the number of people chronically disturbed by transport noise by 30% by 2030, compared to 2017 levels.
The identification of geographical hotspots of noise pollution will inform targeted interventions. The project is not only addressing present challenges but also anticipating future ones. Developing and validating predictive models provides a scientific basis for effective mitigation strategies and future policy interventions.
Who are involved
Trinity College Dublin
University College Dublin
University of Galway
Funded by: Environmental Protection Agency