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Foreword
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This fifth EPA State of Environment report provides an
integrated assessment of the overall quality of Ireland’s
environment, the pressures being placed on it and the societal
responses to current and emerging environmental issues.
The EPA State of Environment reports are important
milestones for Ireland, as they provide a snapshot of the
environment at a particular point, as well as showing trends
and changes in the environment over time. The reports also
assess progress in meeting the main environmental challenges
facing the country, evaluate how national policies are
being implemented and if they are operating and delivering
as intended. The evidence base and assessments provided
by State of Environment reports facilitate policy makers
and decision-makers across all sectors of the economy
to review developments in their respective areas, so that
changes to existing policies can be made if necessary,
or new policies and approaches brought forward which
take into account the main environmental priorities.
The overall finding of this report is that Ireland’s environment
is in a generally good condition overall. However, there
is no room for complacency and the country faces tough
challenges in the coming years to meet EU commitments
and targets across a range of areas including water, waste,
air quality and greenhouse gases to name but a few. The
current recession has meant that levels of emissions and
waste generation rates have paused and in some cases
reduced. However, we must not assume that recession-
induced reductions mean that environmental pressures
are being managed in a sustainable way. We need to learn
from the mistakes of the past and ensure that we do not
repeat them in the future. Ultimately, Ireland needs to
ensure that its economic renewal and recovery is based
strongly on the principles of sustainable development,
and that we decouple future economic growth from
environmental pressures. In this context, the report has
identified four key environmental challenges for Ireland:
Valuing and protecting our natural environment; Building
a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy; Implementing
environmental legislation; and Putting the environment
at the centre of our decision-making.
This current State of Environment report is being
published at a time when the country is facing severe
economic challenges and where the public finances are
under considerable pressure. At times such as this, it may
be tempting to view the protection and management of our
environment as a luxury. However, it should be remembered
that not only does Ireland’s natural environment have
an intrinsic value in its own right; it is also a key strategic
asset for the country. For example, our valuable and
abundant water resources are predicted to become of
increasing strategic importance to the Irish economy and
have the capacity to position Ireland well in terms of
competitiveness. Similarly, Ireland’s biodiversity is valued
in excess of €2.6 billion per annum, from which the
economy and society derive a variety of services including
food production, and recreation. In addition, a healthy,
protected and well managed environment underpins
the development of our key economic sectors, such
as tourism and agri-food industry which thrive on the
clean and green image of Ireland.
Meeting the challenges that we have identified is
important to preserve and protect this valuable national
asset. By doing so, we can ensure that the natural resources
and environmental conditions essential to the economic
and social well-being of Ireland’s future generations are
protected and are not degraded or exhausted. This is
fundamental to sustainable development to which we,
as a country, should aspire. However, addressing the
challenges will not be easy and nor can all of them be
resolved in the short or even medium term. It will require
concerted and determined action across a range of
Government Departments, State agencies and local
authorities, working together to tackle these complex,
issues and implement the right policies and solutions.
Such an approach is all the more pertinent now, given the
pressure on resources across the public and civil service.
The responsibility of protecting and managing Ireland’s
environment lies not only with Government Departments
and agencies; it is a shared responsibility involving all
citizens of Ireland. Businesses, industry, farmers, and
members of the public all have a role to play. We need
to mobilise each of the more than four and a half million
people living in Ireland and ensure that the environment
is placed at the heart of our decisions and actions.
Clear, accurate and timely information is vital in raising
awareness among the public and among key policy
and decision makers. This report is an essential part
of this process. The EPA has also developed an online
environmental indicator-based resource to accompany
this report to provide regularly updated information on
key environmental indicators. This resource is available on
the EPA’s website at
www.epa.ie/irelandsenvironment
Finally, a report of this nature would not be possible
without the information provided through the expertise
of the many people involved at local and national levels
in the monitoring, research and assessment of Ireland’s
environment. I would like to express my thanks and
appreciation to all those concerned.
Laura Burke
Director General
Wexford, June 2012
Foreword