EPA - Ireland's Environment 2016

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Chapter 13: Environmental Challenges and Emerging Issues for Ireland

More recently, the EEA reported that EU GHG emissions

continued to decrease in 2014, with a 4.1% reduction

in emissions to 24.4% below 1990 levels (EEA, 2016).

However, the situation in Ireland is somewhat different:

the figures released point towards increasing emissions

since 1990. This may indicate that Ireland is not yet

meeting the challenge to build a resource-efficient,

low‑carbon economy.

The EEA is advocating for a shift in the way we value

and protect our shared environment. Various policies and

initiatives have been created to steer Europe towards a

green economy. However, the assessment from the EEA

shows that these policies to date have not made sufficient

progress to reverse the trends predicted. The environment

is not yet placed at the heart of everyday decisions and

actions. This provides a challenge for all European and

national institutions to work more closely together to help

deliver common outcomes for a healthy environment.

Overall, the high-level challenges highlighted by the

EPA throughout these chapters reflect the challenges

set out by the EEA in its State of the Environment report

for Europe 2015 and also in the EU 7th Environmental

Action Programme (EAP). This attests to the fact that

across Europe there are similar challenges in addressing

identified environmental issues and ensuring a good-

quality environment.

Challenges Outlined in the

State of the Environment

Report 2012

In Ireland the picture is mixed when considering progress

in addressing the four main challenges outlined in the

State of the Environment report 2012.

The four key challenges from the EPA’s State of the

Environment report 2012 are listed in Table 13.2 (EPA,

2012a). The table also provides an indicative high-level

summary on progress with these challenges.

The 7th Environmental Action

Programme

The 7th Environmental Action Programme provides

the basis for EU wide action to enhance environmental

protection in the period 2014 to 2020 and outlines a

longer vision for Europe in 2050 (EU, 2013):

“In 2050, we live well, within the planet’s ecological

limits. Our prosperity and healthy environment stem

from an innovative, circular economy where nothing

is wasted and where natural resources are managed

sustainably, and biodiversity is protected, valued and

restored in ways that enhance our society’s resilience.

Our low-carbon growth has long been decoupled

from resource use, setting the pace for a safe and

sustainable global society.”

The three key objectives of the EAP are:

to protect, conserve and enhance the EU’s natural

capital

to turn the EU into a resource-efficient, green and

competitive low-carbon economy

to safeguard the EU’s citizens from environmental-

related pressures and risks to health and

wellbeing.

It also establishes two horizontal priority objectives:

to make EU cities more sustainable

to help the EU address international environmental

challenges more effectively.

To deliver on these goals the EU has set a focus on

four key actions:

better implementation of legislation

better information by improving the knowledge base

more and wiser investment for environment and

climate policy

full integration of environmental requirements and

considerations into other policies.