Evidence shows consistent beliefs and attitudes on climate change across Ireland in both rural and urban areas. See what your County thinks about Climate Change
People’s beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences and behaviours on climate change are consistent across Ireland with no discernible difference between urban or rural dwellers. New interactive climate change opinion maps of Ireland allow the public to examine and view national, regional, and county level data about Irish people’s climate change beliefs, attitudes, policy preferences and behaviours. […]
Poorly treated sewage continues to harm the quality of our rivers, lakes and coastal waters, says EPA
Just half (51 per cent) of Ireland’s sewage was treated to the European Union standards set to protect our environment, well below the EU average of 90 per cent. Works to eliminate raw sewage flowing into seas and rivers from 32 towns and villages have commenced or are due to start by 2024. Irish Water […]
Water quality of our rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal areas continues to decline, says EPA
Water quality in Ireland has further declined. While improvements are being made in some areas, these are being offset by declines in water quality elsewhere. At the current level of progress, Ireland will fail to meet the EU and national goal of restoring all waters to good or better status by 2027 Only just over […]
Ireland should move towards achieving the health-based WHO air quality guidelines
Air quality in Ireland is generally good, however, there are concerning localised issues that are impacting negatively on the air we breathe. Ireland met all of its EU legal requirements in 2021, but it did not meet the new health-based WHO guidelines in 2021. Ireland and Europe should move towards achieving the health-based WHO air […]
EPA calls for urgent measures to tackle packaging waste
Ireland generated over one million tonnes of packaging waste in 2020, for the fourth year in a row. Ireland is continuing to achieve high levels of recycling for glass (84%), paper/cardboard (78%) and metal packaging (71%). Plastics present a serious challenge. Only 29% of plastic packaging waste was recycled in 2020, a long way off […]
EPA data shows Ireland’s 2021 Greenhouse Gas Emissions above pre-Covid levels
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased by 4.7 per cent in 2021 compared to 2020 and are now 1.1 per cent above 2019 pre-COVID restriction levels. Emissions from the Energy Industries sector increased by 17.6 per cent in 2021, driven by a tripling of coal and oil use in electricity generation. Agriculture emissions increased by 3.0 […]
EPA Greenhouse Gas emissions projections highlight the need for urgent implementation of climate plans and policies
EPA Projections data indicate that: Total greenhouse gas emissions are estimated to have increased by 6 per cent in 2021. Planned policies and measures, if fully implemented, could deliver up to 28 per cent (4 per cent per annum) emissions reduction up to 2030. Ireland can comply with its 2030 EU emissions reduction target only […]
New EPA Radon maps show more homes and workplaces at risk from cancer-causing gas
The EPA has published new radon maps for Ireland that update the radon risk assessment for the country. 170,000 homes in the country are now predicted to be at risk from radon. This is an increase of 45,000 homes from the previous estimate in 2002. Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas, and every year in […]
EPA publishes Guidelines on the information to be contained in Environmental Impact Assessment Reports
The EPA has published updated Guidelines for preparing Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) for projects covered by the EIA Directive. The Guidelines are a statutory document that should be regarded by those preparing EIARs and the decision makers considering the EIARs. These guidelines should improve the quality of EIARs, making the overall process clearer and […]
EPA Climate Change Lecture Series – The Role of Communications in Driving Climate Action
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is delighted to welcome Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, founder and Director of the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and a Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of the Environment. The public lecture will take place on Thursday 28th at 7:15 pm at the EPIC Museum Dublin and will also […]