EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Executive Summary Table 1  Current summary assessment and future outlook scorecard for Ireland for selected environmental policy areas (Source: EPA, 2020, based on evidence and assessments presented in this report) POLICY AREA CURRENT ASSESSMENT OUTLOOK Climate Continuing high emissions result in a ‘very poor’ current assessment, despite progress on renewable energy, ambitious climate action and adaptation plans and strategies, and new governance structures (e.g. the Climate Action Regional Offices). 2020 emissions reductions targets will not be met without relying on purchasing credits or allowances. Major transitions and system change is needed to become a climate-neutral economy and society by 2050. The Climate Action Plan is the first step in the right direction, but accelerating implementation is needed to meet longer term (2050) targets. Latest projections suggest that, if all Climate Action Plan measures are adopted and fully implemented, 2030 targets will be met. A focus is also needed on delivering on the ambitions outlined in the climate adaptation plans and strategies. Air Quality and Emissions While overall air quality in Ireland is good, there was an exceedance of nitrogen dioxide at one Dublin monitoring site in 2019. This exceedance is a warning about not being complacent in tackling air pollution. On occasions, air quality is not meeting all World Health Organization guideline values for some air pollutants (mainly particulates) that have serious potential health impacts. Ireland is not meeting EU targets on emissions of ammonia to air under the National Emissions Ceiling Directive (2016/2284/EU); agriculture is the main source of ammonia emissions. Mixed progress in reducing the overall emissions to air from transport and energy sources. There is a risk of further exceedances of emissions targets set in the National Emissions Ceiling (NEC) Directive. Also there is a risk of local exceedances of air quality standards if reductions are not made in home heating emissions from burning solid fuels and in transport emissions from vehicles in urban areas. The exceedance of the NEC Directive for ammonia will continue unless measures are adopted at farm level. The prospect of meeting air quality targets is heavily dependent on national measures being implemented. Water Overall, current assessment is poor. Trends are mixed with serious declines in pristine river sites. Just over 50% of surface water is in a satisfactory ecological condition. This means that almost half fails to meet the legal requirements of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). There have been deteriorating water quality trends over the past 20 years, especially for rivers, where there have been major decreases in the numbers of the cleanest and best quality rivers. Progress remains slow in improving urban wastewater treatment, eliminating untreated sewage discharges and reducing nutrient loss from agriculture. Outlook is mixed, and significant challenges remain to achieving full compliance and meeting policy objectives. Extensive targeted action on water catchments, enforcement of existing legislation and implementation of best practice policies could potentially turn around the deteriorating trends. This depends on environmentally sustainable improvements in agriculture, wastewater investment and better management of nutrients and other land use drivers. A key factor is balancing nutrient emissions from the intensive agriculture sector with the need for better environmental protection. 15