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Executive Summary
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from environmental pressures. This means ensuring that
the natural resources and environmental conditions that
are fundamental to the economic and social wellbeing
of Ireland’s future generations are protected and are
not degraded or exhausted. In this context,
Ireland’s
Environment 2012: An Assessment
has identified four
key environmental challenges for Ireland as illustrated
in Figure 1, and outlined below:
Challenge 1: Valuing and Protecting our
Natural Environment
A good environment is a critical component of high
quality of life, with clean air and safe water being two of
our most basic human needs. Abundant biodiversity and
healthy soil are other aspects of our natural environment
that are essential to humanity. Meeting the requirements
of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and protecting
our water resources in a changing climate are pressing
challenges for Ireland. Maintaining our clean air and
healthy soil will also require continuing attention, as
will protecting biodiversity and nature from further
loss and damage. Ireland’s natural environment and
resources have a great intrinsic worth. It is critical to
value these resources as key assets for the State and
to protect this wealth to provide for future generations.
Challenge 2: Building a Resource-Efficient,
Low-Carbon Economy
The recent economic downturn has curbed, for
the present, the type of growth in Ireland that was
unsustainable. There is now an opportunity to ensure
that future development is based on highly efficient
processes and improved resource efficiency. This concept
is being driven by increasing scarcity and costs of fuels
and resources. We need to learn from the mistakes
of the Celtic Tiger years and transform our economy
onto a resource-efficient path to bring increased
competitiveness and new sources of growth through
cost savings, commercialisation of innovations and better
management of resources. From waste prevention to
efficient and renewable energy, investment now in this
area will position Ireland as a competitive economy into
the future and help to provide protection from future
economic shocks as well as allowing us to meet our
targets under international climate change agreements.
Meeting the 2020 targets on GHG emissions is a major
task for Ireland. Domestic mitigation action is imperative,
so that Ireland reduces greenhouse gases while also
availing of the wider opportunities in terms of new
and sustainable growth in the emerging global green
economy.
Challenge 3: Implementing Environmental
Legislation
In the coming years Ireland faces formidable challenges
in meeting international obligations including for
example on water quality, air quality, GHG emissions
and waste management. Ireland also faces a number
of EU infringement proceedings in relation to the
transposition or implementation of a range of EU
directives. It is important that Ireland complies with
international commitments and ensures that legislation
is implemented in a timely and appropriate manner.
Similarly, the EPA and other regulators have an important
role to play to ensure that a healthy, safe environment
is delivered for Ireland through effective enforcement
of environmental legislation at national and local levels.
These actions are necessary not only to prevent avoidable
environmental damage, but also to protect Ireland’s
reputation and green image, which is important to many
of our economic sectors, in particular the agri-food and
tourism sectors.
Challenge 4: Putting the Environment
at the Centre of Our Decision Making
Achieving development and growth that is sustainable
means that environmental considerations need to be
placed at the centre of policy and decision making at
national, regional and local levels. There is a shared
responsibility for achieving and maintaining a healthy
environment. Clear leadership and co-ordinated efforts
from Government and public bodies are needed to ensure
that existing and future activities maintain and improve
the quality of the environment. Business and industry
also play an important role in this area, by ensuring their
activities do not cause pollution or create environmental
liabilities for future generations – with a special
responsibility resting on Ireland’s farmers as guardians of
our rural environment. Finally, all members of the public
must play a part by taking action to avoid pollution and
controlling our own environmental impacts.