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Environment and the Economy
105
the Water Framework Objectives.
The Blueprint is closely related to the
EU 2020 Strategy and will be the
water milestone on the EU’s Resource
Efficiency Roadmap. Its main
focus will be to:
n
improve the implementation
of current EU water policy
n
foster integration of water
and other EU policy objects –
managing trade-offs on the basis
of a better understanding of
the costs and benefits of both
economic activities and water
resource management
n
seek the completion of the
current policy framework,
particularly in relation to
water quantity, efficiency and
adaptation to climate change.
An indicator of resource efficiency
for water is the water exploitation
index (WEI). Over-abstraction and
over-exploitation have a direct
impact on the ecological health of
aquatic ecosystems and can also
reduce the capacity of the systems
to absorb other pressures such as
those from pollution. Figure 8.3
shows the water exploitation index
for the majority of EU countries, and
some other countries. It shows that
accessible water is concentrated in
some regions and in shorter supply
elsewhere. As the value of water
increases globally, it is anticipated
that Ireland’s valuable water
resources will become of increasing
strategic importance to the Irish
economy and have the capacity
to position Ireland well in terms of
competitiveness (DECLG, 2012). As
such, Ireland has the potential to
exploit its competitive advantage
and explore opportunities for using
its water resources in a sustainable
way to support economic growth.
However, it should be noted that
there is no comprehensive register
of water abstractions in Ireland, and
consequently, no definite figures
on the current level of abstractions
across the country. A regulatory
system for the authorisation of water
abstractions in the State is required
to ensure adequate protection and
strategic management of Ireland’s
water resources.
Figure 8.2
Predicted Growth in Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Generation (ISus Model)
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
Current Position
MSW generated (Mt)
MSW measured
MSW predicted
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Ireland’s Sustainable Development Model (ISus)
Ireland’s Sustainable Development Model (ISus) is an
environmental emissions projection model for the economy
of Ireland. Essentially, ISus takes economic forecasts of ESRI’s
macroeconomic model, HERMES, and generates environmental
accounts for future years to 2030. ISus models how the
evolution of activity across the economy and society affects
waste generation and emissions of potential pollutants. The
model covers in excess of 70 substances and potential pollutants
(to air, water and waste) emanating from 19 (NACE) productive
sectors, as well as the residential sector.
The model was developed by the Economic and Social Research
Institute (ESRI) and funded by the Environmental Protection
Agency. Further information about the model is available at the
ESRI’s website at esri.ie/research/research_areas/environment/
isus. A range of emissions projections presented in this chapter
are from the ISus model.