The Environmental Protection Agency's report, Environment in Focus 2002, provides a set of 50 key indicators for Ireland on how the environment is being managed. In recent years, as it notes, the use of environmental indicators has emerged in the international arena as a powerful tool that can assist in measuring progress towards sustainable development and in influencing environmental policy.
The EPA published its first national report for Ireland in 1999, giving an assessment of the environment through the use of key indicators.
It presented an overall summary of environmental quality in the State and highlighted the main issues.
Environment in Focus 2002 is the first comprehensive updating of the original 1999 national report.
It deals with how Ireland is meeting five main challenges - reducing pollution of inland waters, managing waste, protecting the urban environment, controlling greenhouse gas emissions and protecting natural resources.
Copies of the report may be obtained from the EPA, PO Box 3000, Johnstown Castle, Co Wexford, tel 053 60600, or by consulting www.epa.ie