Environment strategy

With a general election campaign in full spate, there could not have been a better time for the Environmental Protection Agency…

With a general election campaign in full spate, there could not have been a better time for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish its long-term strategy for the protection of Irish society and the economy. The wellbeing of society relies on the quality of the environment in which people work and live. And, as EPA director general Mary Kelly insisted, protected water resources, soil and biodiversity, along with clean air, are the fundamental rights of all Irish citizens.

By championing voters' rights and insisting that data collected by local authorities on drinking water quality and the operation of sewage disposal plants should be made freely available, the EPA has adopted a radical stance. In the past, a lack of accountability, along with official secrecy, militated against high standards. But an informed public would be a powerful force for change.

Successive governments introduced a plethora of regulations and laws concerning water pollution and waste management. But, they neglected the key aspect of enforcement. Without a real threat of detection and prosecution, compliance took a back seat. Local authorities, which were supposed to impose standards, became some of the worst offenders. But attitudes are changing. Offences are now described as "crimes". And work by the Office of Environmental Enforcement is having an effect.

Compared to our EU neighbours, Ireland enjoys high standards of air and water quality and uncontaminated land. But accelerated economic growth and consumption during the past decade poses a real threat to that heritage. Urgent measures are needed to protect it. Three specific challenges have been identified: rising greenhouse gas emissions; water pollution caused by sewage and farm slurry and inadequate waste management.

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Our per capita greenhouse gas emissions are among the highest in Europe. In that regard, the EPA describes the Government's carbon reduction targets as "a minimum". Threats posed by climate change and global warming, involving storm surges, coastal and inland flooding and water shortages will have to be countered by a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and proper physical planning. Future national and regional development plans should be "climate-proofed".

Looking ahead, the EPA reports widespread contamination of groundwater, particularly in the South-East. It identifies municipal sewage and farming as the main threats and warns that, once polluted, drinking water will be difficult to treat. As in Galway, people's health will be at risk. More than half of all surface and ground water is in the danger zone. This is a wake-up call from the EPA.