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

Protecting and enhancing Dublin City's natural environment

The role of the Dublin City Heritage Office is to "protect and enhance the status and perception of Dublin City’s natural and man made heritage". This is being done through the implementation of the Dublin City Heritage Plan 2002-2006 (PDF, 28 pages, 4 MB).

As the natural environment is included in the Heritage Office's remit they have produced some associated leaflets:

• Conserving Bats Leaflet (PDF, 4 pages, 412 KB)
  Outlines the importance of bats, the threats that they face and methods of conservation
• Hedgerows Leaflet (PDF, 4 pages, 1.6 MB)
  Outlines the value of hedgerows, the threats that they face and how they can be properly maintained
• Natural Heritage Surveys (PDF, 64 pages, 3 MB)
  A register of all known studies of the natural environment in the city area, both published and unpublished.

Environment and Ireland's National Development Plan 2007-2013

During the lifetime of Ireland's National Development Plan 2007-2013 a number of environmental issues will come to the fore:

By 2010:
The EU National Emissions Ceiling Directive has set a limit for Ireland of 65 kilotonnes nitrogen oxide for 2010. In the absence of increased investment in and take up of public transport and renewable energy, the country's rapidly increasing traffic and fuel consumption will literally drive Ireland over the emissions ceiling. In the 14 years to 2004, Ireland's transport related fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions doubled, as did vehicle numbers.

By 2012:
The Kyoto Protocol requires Ireland to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, but at the moment cars usage, heating and industry are driving up emissions. To meet its commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions Ireland needs to purchase 18 million carbon credits and increase the use of renewable energy.

By 2015:
The Water Framework Directive requires that Ireland protect, enhance and restore all bodies of surface water by 2015. River and estuary eutrophication remains a problem in Ireland. One of the primary causes is poor agricultural practice. This may improve under the recently introduced Nitrates Action Programme coupled with an increased uptake in the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme (Reps) by farmers. Even so, it is unclear whether Ireland will be able to meet the Directive's requirement.

By 2016:
The Landfill Directive requires Ireland to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable waste to 35 per cent of its 1995 level by 2016. Being a prolific waste generator and overly landfill dependent, Ireland may not meet this Directive either.

The National Development Plan (NDP) 2007 - 2013 has made provisions for improving, encouraging and investing in public transport, renewable energy and better waste management, along with the purchase of carbon credits. Whether this will be enough has yet to be seen. Check back here in 10 years...

This is a summarised version of an article by Fiona Gartland in The Irish Times, Home News pages, 31 Jan 2006.

• NDP Chapter 6 - Environmental Sustainability (PDF, 14 pages, 263KB)
  

Ireland's progress on Agenda 21

• Read a Short SWOT Analysis of the State of Ireland in terms of Agenda 21
• The UN's 1997 review of Ireland's progress on Local Agenda 21.
• The Irish Response to Agenda 21 - Ireland's responses are slow and some changes are needed to successfully progress Local Agenda 21 (this article doesn't have a date so it could be quite old)
• Local Sustainable Development on the island of Ireland - a cross border review, 2004 (PDF, 144 pages)
  

Also on Only One Ireland:

• Background to Agenda 21
• Ireland and Agenda 21
  

Agenda 21 - bringing home the Earth Summits

One product of 1992's Rio Earth Summit (also know as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992) was an action plan for the 21st Century, called Agenda 21. Ireland was one of many countries to sign the charter. In doing so Ireland committed to the principles of sustainable development and increased local action on initiatives such as recycling and reducing energy use. While one of the major aims of Local Agenda 21 is to protect fragile ecosystems and environments, its broad remit ranges from fair wealth distribution and human rights to encouraging sustainable travel.

In each country, Local Agenda 21 is driven at both Government and local levels. According to Peter Doran, a member of Northern Ireland's Local Agenda 21 Advisory Group:

Local Agenda 21 is about bringing the United Nations 'Earth Summits' (Rio in 1992 and New York in 1997) home to our communities.

One of his articles, What is Local Agenda 21?, lists 14 target achievements of the plan. Of these, the one that's closest to Only One Ireland's heart is that:

The diversity of nature is valued and protected.

• More about Ireland and Agenda 21
• Learn about Ireland's progress on Agenda 21

Ireland and sustainability - Agenda 21

In 1992 at the Rio Earth Summit (also know as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development 1992), world leaders agreed on an action plan for the 21st Century, called Agenda 21. Agenda 21 works at Government and local levels in each nation. It aims to increase local action on initiatives such as recycling, reducing energy use and sustainable travel.

According to Peter Doran, a member of Northern Ireland's Local Agenda 21 Advisory Group:

Local Agenda 21 is about bringing the United Nations 'Earth Summits' (Rio in 1992 and New York in 1997) home to our communities.

He has written an article entitled What is Local Agenda 21? which includes a list of 14 target achievements of the initiative. Closest to Only One Ireland's heart is that:

The diversity of nature is valued and protected.

Find out more about Ireland's progress on Agenda 21.

• Support Page for the Local Agenda 21 Processes in Ireland
  

How is Ireland progressed Agenda 21 since 1992?
Read a Short Analysis of the State of Ireland in terms of Agenda 21, or an extended summary by the Environmental Protection Agency or the UN's review of Ireland's progress on Agenda 21. Read about The Irish Response to Agenda 21 and all-Ireland cross border Agenda 21 reviews and initiatives (PDF) .

Information on Agenda 21 is also provided by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Who runs it?
In Ireland, Agenda 21 officers are engaged to coordinates work on the plan for each local authority for instance read about Meath's Local Agenda 21 and Dublin City's Local Agenda 21.

Dublin City also has an Environmental Partnership Fund

Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2007-2010

The Biodiversity Action Plan for Dublin will aim to identify positive actions, improve quality of life and benefit both people and wildlife throughout the city.

Stakeholders have been invited to comment on the production and content of the Biodiversity Action Plan for Dublin city under a public consultation running from 27th November 2006 to Monday 15th January 2007. Stakeholders will then be invited to comment on a draft plan in the New Year, with a view to launching the final document in April 2007.

The preparation of the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan is an objective of the Dublin City Development Plan 2006 – 2011. It is also an action under the Dublin City Heritage Plan 2002-2006 and is partially funded by the Heritage Council.

• Read about the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan public consultation

Ireland’s First Local Biodiversity Plan

In May 2006 Clare County Council became the first local authority in Ireland to produce a Local Biodiversity Action Plan. The Plan was produced by the Clare Biodiversity Group, a voluntary group, whose members include Clare County Council, Irish Seed Savers Association, Shannon Dolphin and Wildlife Foundation, National Parks and Wildlife Service, IFA, and the Forest Service. According to the Group farmers have a very important role in the success of the Biodiversity Plan. Most farmers know what plants and animals are on their land and how best to maintain habitats on their land. A crucial source of information, their involvement is valued. All local authorities in Ireland are required to develop such a strategy, under the Government’s National Biodiversity Plan 2002.

• Copies of Clare's Plan and other biodiversity related publications and information are available at http://www.clarebiodiversity.ie
• Read the Heritage Council's Draft guidelines for the production of Local Biodiversity Action Plans (2003) (PDF, 35 pages, 460KB)
• Read Ireland's National Biodiversity Plan (PDF, 49 pages, 3.4MB)
• and the Interim Review of the National Implementation of the National Biodiversity Plan 2002-2006 (PDF, 80 pages, 1782KB)