Monday, February 12, 2007

2020 Vision: Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment

This month the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have published and sought public comment on the draft strategy 2020 Vision: Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment (Word, 37 pages, 781 KB). According to Dr Mary Kelly, Director General, EPA:

"We need to know what environmental priorities the public would like to see addressed, and what steps might be taken to address them"

The draft strategy identifies six main environmental issues:


  • Clean Air
  • Clean & Plentiful Water Resources
  • Protected Soil & Biodiversity
  • Sustainable Use of Natural Resources (waste management)
  • Limiting & Adapting to Climate Change
  • Integration & Enforcement
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The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.