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Ireland’s Environment 2012
vi
Executive Summary
x
Section I
Introduction
Chapter 1
Introduction and
Socio-Economic Context
3
Introduction
4
Environmental Policy Context
5
Climate Change
6
Air Quality
6
Waste
6
Water
7
Biodiversity
7
Sustainable Development
7
Environmental Goals
and Challenges
7
Socio-economic Context
8
Population
8
Households and
Consumption
9
Transport Patterns
10
The Economy
11
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 11
Industry
13
Building and Construction 13
Chemicals/Pharmaceuticals
13
Tourism and Hospitality
13
Energy
14
Public Perceptions
and the Environment
15
Conclusion and Future Challenges 15
References
16
Section II
Thematic
Assessments
Chapter 2
Greenhouse Gases
and Climate Change
21
Introduction
22
The Current Situation
22
Drivers and Pressures
23
Ireland’s GHG Emissions
and the Kyoto Protocol
23
Sectoral Sources
of GHGs in Ireland
24
Agriculture
24
Energy Generation
24
Transport
24
Industry
24
Responses
24
Climate-Change Legislation 25
Mitigation of GHG Emissions 25
Emissions Trading Scheme 25
Renewable Energy
26
Carbon Tax
27
Land Use and Forestry
27
Climate Change Impacts
and Adaption
28
Climate-Change Research 28
Outlook
29
Conclusion and
Future Challenges
31
References
31
Chapter 3
Air Quality and
Transboundary Air Emissions
33
Introduction
34
The Current Situation
35
Air Quality – Main Pollutants 35
Oxides of Nitrogen (NO
X
) 35
Particulate Matter
(PM
10
and PM
2.5
)
35
Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
35
Ground-Level Ozone (O
3
) 35
Other Pollutants
36
Emissions of Transboundary
Pollutants
36
Sulphur Dioxide (SO
2
)
37
Contents