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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 STEP UP TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND US AS IT IS UNDER INCREASING THREAT Peatland is an area that merits far more attention and protection in Ireland (Chapter 5). Peatlands are important in the Irish context for storing carbon, provided that the bog ecosystem is not degraded or dried out. However, many peatlands, even in protected areas, are in a poor state from drainage and peat harvesting and are acting as a large net source of carbon. Peatland restoration involves rewetting to reduce emissions. With community support and involvement in projects such as the Living Bog Project, there is recognition now that how we view the importance of these bogs is changing. The Living Bog Project is the largest raised bog restoration project ever undertaken in Ireland. 6 Projects such as this could be an important part of Ireland’s path to reducing carbon emissions by transforming large areas of land from a net source of carbon, as is currently the case, to a net carbon sink. While we need to do more to reduce emissions, Ireland also needs to prepare for changes in its climate and to adapt to the consequences of climate change for its villages, towns and cities, services, agriculture and environment. While applicable throughout the country as a coastal nation our coasts and coastal communities are particularly vulnerable. Progress has been made over the past few years in developing a range of climate action, adaptation and mitigation plans (Chapter 2). Adaptation plans that set out the changes needed are now in place for local authorities and different sectors. Implementation of the actions and measures in these plans is the next step needed. 6 http://raisedbogs.ie/ SOE 5: Air Quality Adoption of Measures to Meet the World Health Organization Air Quality Guideline Values Should be the Target to Aim for in the Clean Air Strategy The publication and implementation of the planned National Clean Air Strategy is needed to protect Ireland’s air quality. The adoption of the World Health Organization guideline values as national air quality standards within the strategy would provide for a higher level of public health protection. Integrating air pollution controls, noise mitigation measures and climate action, for example in transport management, can bring multiple benefits. Poor air quality is a significant cause of premature mortality and has a number of health impacts, especially in urban areas (EEA, 2020a). According to latest estimates, 1300 premature deaths in Ireland per year can be attributed to air pollution (EPA, 2020e: EEA, 2020b), linked mainly to levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). While Ireland’s air quality is generally good, there are concerning localised issues, including an exceedance of the annual average nitrogen dioxide EU limit value at one traffic monitoring location in Dublin city during 2019. Meeting the air quality and health protection standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) should be a priority in the government’s planned clean air strategy (Chapter 3). In 2019, levels of air pollutants were above the WHO guideline values for health at 33 monitoring stations across Ireland – mostly as a result of the exceedances of the WHO guidelines values for particulates from the burning of solid fuel in cities, towns and villages. Reductions in air pollutants are needed from the energy (including home heating), transport and agriculture sectors. The main sources of pollutants that contribute to local air quality in urban areas are transport and home heating. The burning of solid fuel for heating releases particulate emissions that contribute significantly to air pollution in towns and cities. A move towards cleaner and more efficient ways of heating our homes and restrictions and improved standards on the quality and use of these solid fuels would improve the situation. 438