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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 Foreword 4 Acknowledgements 6 Acronyms and Abbreviations 9 Executive Summary 12 Chapter 1: Introduction 23 1. Introduction 23 2. Wider Context to Protecting Ireland’s Environment 26 3. Content of the Report 29 References 31 Chapter 2: Climate Change 35 1. Introduction 35 2. The Causes of Climate Change 36 3. International, European Union and National Policy Context 37 4. Key Greenhouse Gas Trends for Ireland 43 5. Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation: Natural and Managed Ecosystems, Forests, Sectors and Infrastructures, and Social and Economic Impacts 48 6. Near-term Responses and Long-term Transition 49 7. Research 56 8. Conclusions 57 References 59 Chapter 3: Air Quality 63 1. Introduction 63 2. Air Quality Standards and Policy in Ireland 63 3. Tracking Emissions of Transboundary Air Pollutants 66 4. Air Pollutants Monitored in the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network 70 5. Outlook for Air Quality in Ireland 77 6. Air Quality Research in Ireland 78 7. Conclusions 78 References 81 Chapter 4: Environmental Noise 85 1. Introduction 85 2. Assessment of Environmental Noise from Transport Sources in Ireland 86 3. Impact of Noise 89 4. Outlook for Noise Policy and Mitigation Measures 90 5. Conclusions 93 References 96 Chapter 5: Land and Soil 99 1. Introduction 99 2. Functions of Soils 99 3. Land Cover 104 4. Sectoral Overview of Land Cover and Spatial Plans 109 5. Research 119 6. Conclusions 121 References 124 Chapter 6: Nature 129 1. Introduction 129 2. State of Habitats and Species in an Irish and Global Context 129 3. Current Status and Trends 131 4. Drivers and Pressures 137 5. Responses 140 6. Research and Knowledge Base 151 7. Outlook 152 8. Conclusions 152 References 156 Chapter 7: Water Quality 161 1. Introduction 161 2. Current Situation 161 3. Drivers and Pressures 171 4. Responses 178 5. Outlook 186 6. Conclusions 188 References 190 Chapter 8: The Marine Environment 193 1. Introduction 193 2. Current Health of Irish Marine Waters 193 3. Drivers, Pressures and Impacts 200 4. Responses 207 5. Conclusions 217 References 220 Table of Contents 2