Building Climate-Ready Streets, Homes & Transit with Feljin Jose
Building Climate-Ready Streets, Homes & Transit with Feljin Jose
Public transport advocate and Dublin City Councillor Feljin Jose joins interviewer Ciara to unpack how streets, housing and rail policy shape daily life—and climate action.
We connect DART+, MetroLink and better buses to the built environment: denser homes near stations, safer walking and cycling, revived main streets, and public spaces that welcome everyone.
Feljin also reflects on Irish climate advocacy—what’s working, what isn’t—and how these lessons scale into global city solutions.
“Housing policy is transport policy.”
Why listen
- A clear, human explainer of how infrastructure + planning drive emissions down and quality of life up.
- Concrete links between transit corridors and housing supply, vacancy fixes, and public realm design.
- First-hand insights from Irish climate advocacy with takeaways for other cities.
“Frequency is freedom — build the service and people will use it.”
Highlights
Streets that heal, not harm: Calmer quays, walkable high streets and safe cycling aren’t “nice-to-haves”—they’re core climate infrastructure that cut car trips and unlock local commerce.
Rail + homes = impact: DART+ and MetroLink only deliver their full climate benefits when paired with mid-rise housing, mixed uses, and strong dereliction enforcement.
Rural mobility matters: More frequent Local Link buses show that when service is reliable, communities shift—opening nature and jobs without a car.
From policy to people: Fare integration, orbital routes and trip-chaining design reflect real lives (care work, errands, shift work), not just 9–5 commutes.
Advocacy in practice: Feljin shares wins, setbacks, and how coalitions keep momentum when timelines stretch.
Meet our Guest: Feljin Jose
Feljin Jose is a Dublin City Councillor known for his advocacy on sustainability. In this episode, he speaks with Ciara about climate advocacy in Ireland and the implications for global climate solutions.
From his website bio: Feljin ran as “the Green candidate for the Cabra–Glasnevin ward in the 2024 Dublin City Council election.” He moved to Phibsborough from India at nine, attended St. Vincent’s in Glasnevin, and studied astrophysics at DCU. He’s “devoted most of [his] adult life to environmental advocacy,” serving as chair of the Dublin Commuter Coalition to improve public transport, active travel, and public space, and working across councils, agencies and ministers to make tough choices for a sustainable, competitive, vibrant city.
He notes feeling the change “every time [he] taps [his] half-price Leap Card or enjoys calmer routes on the Quays, Capel Street, and Griffith Avenue,” while also naming rising threats to minorities and the need for representation. With deep knowledge of council processes—and how siloed departments stall progress—Feljin joined the Greens because “we have little time to build a climate-resilient city.”
Other Podcasts In The Youth Month Series November 2025
Ciara speaks to Dr Lisa McNamee from Irish Doctors for the Environment about the role of healthcare in climate change
Listen here: https://constructive-voices.com/irish-doctors-for-the-environment
Plan International’s Chief Programme Officer Damien Queally joins youth host Ciara O’Brien to unpack what truly locally led, gender-responsive programming looks like—especially where climate shocks meet the built environment.
Tune in here: https://constructive-voices.com/damien-queally-of-plan-international/
