Table of Contents 1 460

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

Table of Contents 4
Foreword 6
Acknowledgements 8
Acronyms and Abbreviations 11
Executive Summary 14
Introduction 25
1. Introduction 25
2. Wider Context to Protecting Ireland’s Environment 28
3. Content of the Report 31
References 33
Climate Change 37
1. Introduction 37
2. The Causes of Climate Change 38
3. International, European Union and National Policy Context 39
4. Key Greenhouse Gas Trends for Ireland 45
5. Impacts, Vulnerability and Adaptation: Natural and Managed Ecosystems, Forests, Sectors and Inf 49
6. Near-term Responses and Long-term Transition 51
7. Research 58
8. Conclusions 59
References 61
Air Quality 65
1. Introduction 65
2. Air Quality Standards and Policy in Ireland 65
3. Tracking Emissions of Transboundary Air Pollutants 68
4. Air Pollutants Monitored in the National Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Network 72
5. Outlook for Air Quality in Ireland 79
6. Air Quality Research in Ireland 80
7. Conclusions 80
References 83
Environmental Noise 87
1. Introduction 87
2. Assessment of Environmental Noise from Transport Sources in Ireland 88
3. Impact of Noise 91
4. Outlook for Noise Policy and Mitigation Measures 92
5. Conclusions 95
References 98
Land and Soil 101
1. Introduction 101
2. Functions of Soils 101
3. Land Cover 106
4. Sectoral Overview of Land Cover and Spatial Plans 111
5. Research 121
6. Conclusions 123
References 126
Nature 131
1. Introduction 131
2. State of Habitats and Species in an Irish and Global Context 131
3. Current Status and Trends 133
4. Drivers and Pressures 139
6. Research and Knowledge Base 153
7. Outlook 154
8. Conclusions 154
References 158
Water Quality 163
1. Introduction 163
2. Current Situation 163
3. Drivers and Pressures 173
4. Responses 180
5. Outlook 188
6. Conclusions 190
References 191
The Marine Environment 195
1. Introduction 195
2. Current Health of Irish Marine Waters 195
3. Drivers, Pressures and Impacts 202
4. Responses 209
5. Conclusions 219
References 222
Waste 227
1. Introduction 227
2. Current Situation 228
3. Drivers 239
4. Pressures 241
5. Promoting Sustainable Behaviours and the Circular Economy 246
6. Conclusions 252
References 255
Environment and Industry 259
1. Introduction 259
2. Emissions from Licensed Facilities 265
3. Resource Use in Industrial Sectors 269
4. Waste Generated by Industrial Sectors 270
5. Circular Economy for Resource Use and Waste 272
6. Enforcement of EPA Licences for Industrial Facilities 273
7. Industry and the National Transition Ambition 275
8. Research on Industry and the Environment 276
9. Conclusions 277
References 279
Environment and Transport 283
1. Introduction 283
2. Environmental Pressures from Transport 283
3. Understanding the Drivers of Transport Environmental Pressures 288
4. Sustainable Mobility Transformation 292
5. Conclusions 298
References 300
Environment and Energy 307
1. Introduction 307
2. Energy Use, Human Health and Environmental Protection 307
3. European Union and National Energy Policy 308
4. Energy Consumption in Ireland 311
5. Challenges and Comparisons 319
6. Conclusions 323
References 326
Environment and Agriculture 329
1. Introduction 329
2. The Structure of Irish Agriculture 331
3. Current Trends 334
4. What’s Being Done 341
5. Conclusions 347
References 350
Environment, Health and Wellbeing 355
1. Introduction 355
2. Health Benefits of our Natural Environment 355
3. National Issues around Protecting our Environment, Health and Wellbeing 358
4. Global Issues - Local Challenges 375
5. Conclusions 380
References 383
Environmental Performance, Policy and Implementation 389
1. Introduction 389
2. European Assessment of Ireland’s Environmental Performance 392
3. Assessment of Ireland’s Performance Against Environmental Legislation, Plans and Programmes 394
4. The European and Global Policy Context 403
5. Improving Environmental Performance and Policy Implementation 405
6. Conclusions 410
References 419
Conclusions 423
1. Introduction 423
2. Environmental Scorecard for Ireland 427
3. Ireland in a European Context 430
4. Key Environmental Messages for Ireland 433
5. Conclusions 450
References 456

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