The 2024 State of the Environment report has highlighted the urgent necessity for Ireland to dramatically modify its energy, food, and transport systems in order to establish a sustainable trajectory for the country. Compiled and published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the report highlights the importance of significant outlays in critical infrastructure to ensure environmental protection is central to Ireland’s prospective growth.
Whilst the report acknowledges some promising outcomes from current policies, plans, and regulations, the overall impact remains unsatisfactory—the measures in place are simply insufficient to deliver a healthy, thriving environment.
The EPA’s latest four-yearly analysis brings together an unrivalled volume of data and offers an intricate examination of primary environmental themes, and performance in policy implementation.
With regard to nature and biodiversity, the struggle to conserve the vast array of Ireland’s habitats and species has never been so critical. The report warns of a decline in the quality of natural habitats and their native species, with a continuation of present approaches only serving to perpetuate fragmentation, and a further decrease in biodiversity. A nationwide, cross-societal method towards biodiversity management and protection is necessary, and this must be considered in all stages of development and across sectoral plans and policies.
Concerning agriculture, farming plays an essential role within Irish society, and its contribution to a healthy environment cannot be overstated. Despite this, food systems reliant on a healthy environment are failing to reach sustainability goals. There are numerous plans and programmes underway boasting positive farm-scale actions, yet there is no discernible evidence that these measures will cumulatively generate the environmental outcomes required.
Lastly, the report underlines the need to prioritise soil health, particularly in terms of securing food supply and preserving its environmental value. Given the considerable threats posed by excess nutrients, compaction, and dwindling soil biodiversity, the document insists on the necessity to ramp up efforts in mapping and assessing soil health.
The careful management of land use is crucial to encouraging carbon storage and providing for our basic needs, without compromising our natural environment. This can only be achieved through continuous involvement with landowners to formulate a plan outlining environmental conservation, alongside securing appropriate backing for implementation.
In terms of climate strategy, progress is noticeable through the uptake of renewable energy alternatives for electricity and increasing use of public transport. However, we are substantially off course to reach both national and European Union emission reduction goals. Anticipatory, swift global measures to curb emission rates may maintain an Irish climate recognisable to today’s until 2100. However, postponing such measures risks escalating towards an alien future climate.
To achieve immediate emission cuts, wind energy, solar power and bioenergy play a strategic role, while offshore wind assumes paramount importance in future energy plans. To speed up the uptake of renewables, enhanced regulatory and planning frameworks, alongside supportive schemes, are absolutely necessary.
Rising demand for electricity due to the electrification of heat and transport sectors, compounded by the escalating demand from major users, will pile on extra pressure on the grid.
Despite boasting high standard bathing water, Ireland fails to fully align with the EU Water Framework Directive concerning water quality. Nutrient trends in water continue to be a concern, and E. Coli strains known as STEC/VTEC persist as a major health risk.
The transport sector, a notorious source of environmental pollution and user of energy resources, is gearing up for a revamp. A sustainable, accessible, and efficient system not only propels environmental preservation and societal wellbeing but also strengthens the economy. By integrating land use and transport planning, compact development, alongside other incentives, can curb reliance on private vehicles and promote public transit usage, thereby steering the industry towards a sustainable and climate-neutral transition.
Industrial pollution is on the downturn with overall high environmental regulation compliance. Notwithstanding, the food and drink sector, especially dairy processing, and the waste sector depict unsatisfactory performance in several areas.
Resource consumption and recycling: Ireland is experiencing an increasing consumption of material resources, and it’s struggling to match this with equally robust recycling efforts. This could potentially lead to the country falling short in meeting the European Union’s set targets.
Marine Conservation: Although Ireland’s marine environment is healthy, stronger policy alignment is necessary to maintain sustainable use of its maritime areas with no negative effects. It’s crucial to aptly and promptly align policy measures concerning the advancement of offshore renewables and the goal to safeguard 30% of marine waters. Despite the ongoing progress in spatial planning, the implementation of legislation for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) has been persistently postponed.
Health implications: The report emphasises the direct correlation between the safeguarding of our environment and our health, noting that damaging one inevitably harms the other. Tackling harmful exposures like air pollution, radon, and noise, in addition to addressing climate impacts, will significantly benefit our wellbeing and the environment.
The review by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) signals the need for comprehensive action across all societal sectors and public endorsement of what is required to facilitate successful actions. This is particularly important considering “the complex interplay among different activities within the economy, which collectively exacerbate environmental pressures”.
EPA’s director general, Laura Burke, claimed there was a necessity for a strategic leap, a mutual vision of how we would modify our lives and occupations to safeguard our very existence over the forthcoming decade. Furthermore, she insisted on the need for a national environmental policy statement that clearly expresses and facilitates this transition.
Burke expressed dissatisfaction with the current rate of progress, stating its inadequacy. She noted, “We are perpetually lagging behind. In the present, we barely have seriously polluted rivers, but conversely, we have almost no untouched ones remaining either. Our recycling efforts have improved but we are still producing more waste than ever and exporting a large portion of it.”