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

Chapter 3: Air Quality Air Quality 1. Introduction Air is of critical importance to supporting life in all its forms. Natural events such as volcanoes, desert dust and forest fires and occurrences such as sea salt particles being carried in the wind have always affected the quality of the air we breathe. But day-to-day human activities have a greater impact on our atmosphere. Emissions from home heating, agriculture, transport and energy generation all contribute to poorer air quality throughout the year. Poor air quality has serious health implications both in the short term (e.g. causing temporary illnesses such as headaches, breathing difficulties or eye irritation) and in the long term (e.g. causing chronic illnesses such as asthma, reduced liver function and cardiovascular diseases). The latest estimates from the European Environment Agency (EEA) calculate that in excess of 1300 premature deaths occur in Ireland each year because of poor air quality (EEA, 2020a). In addition to emissions from various sources of air pollution, meteorological conditions influence air quality. Owing to Ireland’s geographical location as an island on the periphery of Europe, with prevailing winds from the south-west, it is less frequently affected by transboundary air pollution from its neighbours. Historically too, the absence of large cities and heavy industry in Ireland resulted in less pressure on air quality. However, data from the expanded National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Programme, which is providing more comprehensive air quality information, indicate several areas of poorer air quality across the country (EPA, 2017). It is becoming increasingly clear that there are challenges to good air quality in both urban and rural areas that need to be addressed. 2. Air Quality Standards and Policy in Ireland European Directives on Air Quality and Emissions EU directives set baseline standards for monitoring air quality and reducing emissions in Ireland. The framework for the European Union (EU) clean air policy, illustrated in Figure 3.1, has a three-pillar approach that aims to protect EU citizens from the adverse health effects of poor air quality, as well as protect ecosystems. The framework uses a combination of standards and directives to regulate sources of air pollutants, obtain commitments to reduce national emission quantities and set limit values for levels of air pollutants in ambient air. The Clean Air Programme for Europe, published by the EU in 2013, provided a comprehensive review of emissions-related elements (EC, 2013). As a result, new targets were put in place through updated emissions ceilings levels and provisions in a new directive governing medium combustion plants. A new National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive (2016/2284/EU), which entered force on 31 December 2016, replaces earlier NEC directive (2001/81/EC) (EEA, 2020b). The NEC Directive, Annex II, set emissions reduction commitments for 2020 and 2030, based on a reduction from 2005 emissions, for the five main air pollutants (covered below). It also provided for the 2010 emission ceiling levels to remain applicable for Member States until the end of 2019. The NEC Directive transposes the reduction commitments for 2020 agreed by the EU and its Member States under the 2012 revised Gothenburg Protocol (UNECE, 2016a). The reduction commitments for 2030 are designed to reduce the health impacts of air pollution by half compared with 2005. The NEC Directive also requires that Member States, including Ireland, draw up a National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) to help implement air quality plans established under the Ambient Air Quality Directives (2008/50/EC and 2004/107/EC). 63