Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

13 Executive Summary Delivering a national policy position on the environment Since the EPA published its last State of the Environment Report in 2020, Ireland has set a national objective to transition to a climate-resilient, biodiversity- rich, environmentally-sustainable and climate-neutral economy by 2050. Achieving this ambitious multifaceted objective will be the most complex and interconnected environmental challenge for the next 25 years and each step towards its achievement will present opportunities and challenges. There will be many complex issues to overcome and trade-offs to be addressed along the way which will require significant collaboration to address issues across climate, land use, air pollution and biodiversity. The EPA again recognises the need for a coherent national policy position on the environment. We need this policy to bring together our action and align our activities to protect our waters, air, soil, ecosystems and biodiversity so that those systems can provide the essential supporting services that we depend on for our economy and health. A national policy position would promote improvements in policy coherence and set out, in an integrated manner, the country’s ambition for the environment for the next generation. While aspects of environmental protection can be achieved through developing and implementing good government policy, the active engagement and participation of everyone will be essential if real and meaningful change is to be made. A national policy position could serve as the starting point for the development of an inclusive national contract across the economy and society so that we live sustainably in a healthy environment that is valued and protected by all. Driving policy implementation Ireland has a comprehensive set of laws, policies and plans aimed at protecting the environment and human health. This report shows that serious deficits remain in Ireland’s implementation of environmental legislation such as the Urban Waste Water Directive, Water Framework Directive, climate law and related plans and programmes. The EU, in its national Environmental Implementation Review, has highlighted the challenges that remain for Ireland to achieve compliance with EU waste water treatment legislation; access to justice in environmental matters; conservation matters on marine nature sites; and the conservation of bogs. There are currently nine Court of Justice of the European Union cases and 16 infringements open against Ireland for failures in implementing EU environmental legislation. Resolving the current infringement procedures will require proactive action and prioritising legislation and implementation. In addition, Ireland is not making adequate progress towards meeting our own nationally set targets and objectives. This report shows that substantial gaps remain between what has been committed to and what is being delivered. The plans and programmes already in place, if fully implemented, will go a long way to resolving our persistent environmental issues.