The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published its first biannual update of its Biodiversity Action Plan. This Biodiversity Action Plan sets out the EPA’s progress in the implementation of its role in protecting biodiversity and covers a range of activities in the following areas:

* Monitoring;

* Research;

* Assessment and Reporting;

* Environmental Regulation;

* Climate Change;

* Communications.

The plan demonstrates the on-going commitment of the EPA to protect Ireland’s biodiversity and underlines the substantial support role undertaken by the EPA in this area.

Micheal O Cinneide, EPA director, Office of Environmental Assessment, comments: “This Plan highlights the wide range of significant actions which will be undertaken by the EPA in relation to the protection of biodiversity. The EPA has significant new roles under the Environmental Liability Directive in relation to the liabilities of operators causing damage or risk of damage to protected species and habitats, and the identification of appropriate remediation. In implementing its functions relating to the licensing and regulation of various activities, the EPA will continue to ensure that biodiversity is protected.”

The EPA’s first Biodiversity Action Plan was produced in 2009, to fulfil a commitment undertaken as part of its strategy, 2020 Vision – Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment. The plan was produced by a Biodiversity Team comprising representatives from all of the EPA Offices and will be updated biannually.

Ireland is well advanced in achieving most of the EU waste recovery and recycling targets, with the exception of end of life vehicle targets, according to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Waste Report 2010.

The economic downturn is having a marked influence on municipal waste generation, which has decreased by 16 per cent since it peaked in 2007. The quantity of household waste collected for treatment fell by 5 per cent in spite of an increase in population. The recovery rate for packaging waste increased to 74 per cent.

The main findings of the report were that in 2010:
* Municipal waste generation fell by 3.6 per cent compared to 2009.

* Household waste recovery increased by 11 per cent compared to 2009.

* Household waste collected for treatment fell by 5 per cent and commercial waste collected fell by 12 per cent compared to 2009.

* Municipal waste recycling achieved a rate of 38 per cent, a 3 per cent increase compared to 2009, and close to the EU27 norm of 40 per cent.

* Ireland met its 2010 EU Landfill Directive target for diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.

* A recovery rate of 74 per cent was achieved for packaging waste, exceeding the EU target of 60 per cent by 2011.

* Ireland is failing to meet the End of Life Vehicle Directive targets for reuse, recovery and recycling of vehicles and their components.

* 29 per cent of occupied houses do not participate in, or are not offered, a waste collection service.

* At current fill rates, 15 of the 28 currently active municipal solid waste landfills in Ireland will close in the next three years. There is a remaining national landfill capacity of 12 years.

* Use of waste as an energy fuel grew by 20 per cent from 2009 figures to 183,000 tonnes in 2010.

EPA director general Laura Burke comments: “There has been a significant reduction in the amount of municipal waste generated in Ireland, from a peak of almost 3.4 million tonnes in 2007, to less than 2.9 million tonnes in 2010. The economic downturn is continuing to have a marked influence on waste generation, particularly in the commercial waste and construction and demolition waste streams. When the economy begins to improve, it is important that we decouple waste generation from economic growth.”

Ireland is making good progress towards achieving its EU targets in areas such as packaging waste, waste electrical goods and batteries. “While Ireland has met its 2010 target for the diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill, the more stringent EU targets coming into effect in 2013 and 2016 under the Landfill Directive will be much harder to achieve and will require continued investment in the infrastructure needed to treat biodegradable waste,” she points out.

Priority actions identified in the EPA report were:

* Policies and actions necessary to decouple waste growth from economic growth need to be implemented, with waste prevention at their core;

* Continued support for resource efficiency and conservation initiatives in relation to waste, water and energy is required to deliver reduced costs for public and private enterprises and reduced impacts on the environment;

* Diversion of very large quantities of food waste from landfill remains a key priority that must be addressed if Ireland is to comply with the Landfill Directive;

* State policy to require householders to avail of a collection service will help address problems associated with large number of households not availing of such a service;

* Action needs to be undertaken to improve the reuse, recovery and recycling rates for End of Life Vehicles to ensure that Ireland complies with the relevant EU targets.

The Government has published a plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Review Group. The independent Review Group, established in February 2010 to review the scope, mandate, structure and performance of the EPA, presented its report in May 2011. This report contains 58 recommendations across a number of different themes such as governance, resources and licensing.

Some of the recommendations include:

* completion of Ireland’s ratification of the Aarhus Convention;

* clarification of the relationship between water authorities and the EPA, minimising overlap and duplication, particularly in the area of monitoring; continuation and extension of the process of making licence performance and enforcement information available on-line; and

* establishment of a specialist Advisory Committee on the interaction between the environment and human health.

Phil Hogan TD, Minister for the Environment, Community & Local Government, comments: “The implementation plan contains a list of actions arising from the review, some of which are to be implemented by my Department and others which will be the responsibility of the EPA. I have prioritised certain actions for delivery in 2012, while others will be implemented over a longer period.”

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Science Gallery will hold an hour-long free public event this coming Thursday evening (January 12th) in the Science Gallery entitled Watertight: the Future of Irish Water. The event is free and is part of the Science Gallery’s very successful Surface Tension: The Future of Water exhibition which is supported by the EPA.

Ireland has a daily average water usage per person of around 150 litres. With an increasing demand for clean water reserves and talks of imminent water metering and charges, the Science Gallery is tackling the big issues around Ireland’s water supply.

In partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency, it will examine water in an Irish context and discuss how we manage our nation’s most precious resource. 2012 will be a year of change in Irish water. While the EU/IMF focus on setting up a new utility, the EPA is keen to see water quality and safe drinking water at the heart of the debate.

Hosted by Duncan Stewart of Eco Eye, EPA Director Micheal O Cinneide will discuss management, legislation and public participation, followed by an expert panel including Sinead O’Brien of SWAN and Ciaran Fallon of Dublin City Council who will discuss possible directions that water resource management will take in Ireland in the future.

For further information visit http://www.sciencegallery.com/events/2012/01/watertight-future-water-ireland.

The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new extractive industries website. Extractive Industries are facilities engaged in surface or underground extraction of mineral resources for commercial purposes for example, quarries, mining sites or peat extraction.

The website is a data management system that provides a single mechanism to create a national register of Extractive Industries. Local authorities can use the new e-register to maintain a current register of facilities under their remit and the EPA is using it to provide information on all EPA-licensed extractive industries facilities.

This on-line register will allow members of the public to access information on extractive facilities. Visitors to the site can download reports which include maps, boundaries, grid co-ordinates as well as operation details and licensing/permitting authority. The register will also contain an inventory of closed extractive waste facilities.

The register will assist in meeting reporting requirements to the European Commission in accordance with Commission Decision 2009/358/EC and Directive 2006/21/EC. Environmental information can be searched using the following options:

* Site registration number

* Permit/licensing authority

* Local Authority area

* Name of the facility

* Status of site: active or closed

* Regulation 20 sites (if the site is a risk to the environment or human health).

Provisional greenhouse gas emissions figures released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) include trends since 1990, and show Ireland’s status in meeting our obligations set under the Kyoto Protocol. Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 0.69 million tonnes (1.1%) in 2010.

Agriculture remains the single largest contributor to overall emissions, at 30.4% of the total, followed by Energy (primarily power generation) and Transport at 21.7% and 19.1%  respectively. The remainder is made up by the Industry and Commercial at 14.9%, the Residential sector at 12.6% and Waste at 1.5%.

The figures show that, while Ireland’s Kyoto limit in the period 2008-2012 is 62.84 million tonnes per annum, Ireland’s combined emissions in 2008, 2009 and 2010 were 6.65 million tonnes above this limit when the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and approved Forest Sinks are taken into account. Taking unused allowances from the ETS into account, Ireland is on track to meet its Kyoto commitment.

”The reduction in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions is welcome, particularly the continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport sector,” comments Laura Burke, director of EPA. “Ireland is on track to meet our emission limits for 2008-2012 under the Kyoto Protocol. However in order to meet the very stringent EU 2020 limits and to move permanently to a low carbon economy, new policies are required to be identified, assessed, adopted and implemented.”

Dr Eimear Cotter, senior manager at EPA, says: :”Emission reductions have been recorded across Transport and Waste with all other sectors showing an increase on 2009 levels. This is despite the economy contracting in 2010 and highlights the challenge we are facing in meeting our emission reduction targets.”

Changes to Sectoral Emissions

The emissions from agriculture increased by 0.04 million tonnes (0.2%) in 2010. This is the first increase in this sector since 2003. The increase in emissions reflects primarily a large increase in fertiliser sales as well as an increase in gas oil use on farms. Declining trends in total cattle numbers and sheep continue in 2010 while swine numbers have increased relative to 2009.

Emissions related to energy are calculated based on SEAI’s annual energy balance and for 2010 were 0.25 million tonnes higher than in 2009 which represents a 1.9% increase. This reflects a reduction in the share of renewables in gross electricity consumption from 14.3% in 2009 to 12.9% in 2010. Wind and hydro resources were less in 2010 which resulted in more electricity generation from coal and gas-fired power stations.

Transport emissions were 1.32 million tonnes lower in 2010 than in 2009. This represents a decrease of 10.1%, following sustained increases in this sector since 1990. The decrease primarily reflects the impact of the economic downturn plus the changes in vehicle registration tax and road tax introduced in mid-2008 and the Biofuels Obligation Scheme. Emissions in 2010 were 131% higher than the 1990 transport emissions.

Industry and commercial emissions increased by 0.1 million tonnes (1.1%) in 2010. This reflects an increase in CO2 emissions from the alumina industry which is offset, to some extent, by the continuing decline in cement production. In particular, returns from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme show emissions from the cement sector peaked in 2007 and have decreased by 55% between 2007 and 2010.

Residential emissions in 2010 increased by 0.32 million tonnes (4.4%) from the 2009 level. This reflects an increase in fossil fuel use from households due to a considerably colder and longer heating season in 2010.

Waste emissions show a decrease of 0.07 million tonnes (6.9%) below the 2009 level which reflects increased methane utilisation for electricity production relative to 2009. Landfill gas utilisation and on-site flaring offset over 70% of methane production in 2010.

The Government has decided to appoint Laura Burke as the new director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  She succeeds Dr Mary Kelly, who took up a new role as chairperson of An Bord Pleanála in August 2011. 

Laura Burke as the new director general of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Laura Burke has been a director of the EPA since 2004, initially serving as the agency’s director of communications and corporate services and more recently as director of the Office of Climate, Licensing, Research and Resource Use. Prior to joining the EPA, she worked in the private sector. She is a graduate chemical engineer of University College Dublin and holds an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin.

The Government has launched ‘Developing a Green Enterprise’, a concise guide for businesses in Ireland to the supports (including State-funded programmes) offered by the various State agencies with responsibility for environment, enterprise development and energy.

The Green Enterprise Guide has been developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland. Developing a Green Enterprise provides directional information on where different businesses can go for assistance in relation to water conservation, waste prevention, energy efficiency and clean technology.  The guide also provides an overview of the key state agencies involved and the programmes and assistance they offer.

Over half of all Irish companies have taken action to improve their energy efficiency in the last three years, according to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), and only one-third of these actions have involved a capital spend. Reducing energy costs is a key priority for Irish business and where energy efficiency initiatives were implemented, most businesses have achieved average energy cost savings of 12%.

Businesses that have participated in the EPA’s Greenbusiness initiative in 2010 have identified almost Eur10 million worth of savings from an investment by the EPA of less than Eur1 million.

Dr Mary Kelly, director general of the Environmental Protection Agency, will leave the agency at the end of the summer to take up her new appointment as chair of An Bord Pleanala. Dr Kelly has been director general of the EPA since 2002 and has led the EPA effectively through profound change in that time. The EPA is now widely acknowledged as an exemplar of public sector effectiveness, and seen as the champion and independent voice for the environment in Ireland.

Dr Mary Kelly, director general of the EPA.

Dr Kelly led the EPA through two internal Strategic Reviews. The first Strategic Review in 2003 led to major reorganisation and the creation of a new office within the EPA, the Office of Environmental Enforcement. This proved to be a vital and successful step in tackling the many compliance issues from illegal dumping to contaminated drinking water.

The second Strategic Review in 2007 resulted in further reorganisation to bring a greater focus to the Climate Change Agenda with the establishment of the Climate Change Unit, bringing together all EPA staff with climate change responsibilities including emissions trading, research and international negotiation work.

A recent independent review of the EPA endorsed the role and performance of the agency stating that the EPA, since its foundation, has provided considerable benefit for Ireland’s environment and for the health and well-being of its people.

The EPA overall has provided “considerable benefit for Ireland’s environment and for the health and well-being of its people,” according to an independent review of the agency. The review was a commitment in the Programme for Government 2007, and is the first review of the Environmental Protection Agency to be carried out. The EPA welcomes the endorsement of its role and performance.

The review involved a comprehensive examination of the EPA and a public consultation process to gather views from the public and the widest range of interested parties.  The assessment of the agency was structured under a number of themes including:
* Governance,

* Internal Structure and Resources,

* Licensing,

* Assessment and Monitoring,

* Environmental Research and Information,

* Relationship with Stakeholders; and

* Legislative Framework.

The final report makes 58 recommendations under these headings, some addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency itself and recommending a strengthening or deepening of some activities, or the undertaking of new approaches; others address the very important issue of national environmental governance and are addressed to the EPA along with other stakeholders including the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; and others which would require changes and consolidation of legislation to take effect.

Whistle-blowers legislation, extending Parliamentary Questions to EPA, and bringing the EPA under the remit of the Ombudsman are among the recommendations.

Some of the key findings and recommendations of the review include:

* Generic legislation to protect whistle-blowers should be introduced;

* The EPA should be subject to the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction in respect of administrative issues and be more answerable to the Oireachtas through the extension of the parliamentary question process to the Agency;

* Robust systems to monitor and enforce the financial requirements of licences should be put in place, to ensure there is sufficient provision for the aftercare of facilities;

* The level of license fees should be routinely reviewed, these are due for upward revision;

* There is a strong argument for the EPA’s licensing process to be revised to include formal requirements on Health Impact Assessment, with a specialist Advisory Committee being established to address the interface between the environment and human health;

* A wider review of environmental governance in Ireland should be carried out;

* Funding for environmental research should be maintained;

* Interaction between the planning and environmental licensing should be addressed in light of the ECJ judgment against Ireland;

* The Aarhus Convention should be ratified.

Some 300 researchers and delegates from a wide variety of scientific and engineering disciplines will gather at University College Cork (UCC) from April 6-8th to participate in The 21st Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium (ENVIRON 2011). The Colloquium offers a unique forum for researchers, government and industry to discover emerging areas of environmental, energy and marine research along with potential environmental technologies for the future.

The theme of this year’s colloquium is ‘Towards 2020: Environmental challenges and opportunities for the next decade’. The ‘2020’ date reflects the many environmental targets that have been set for the next decade particularly in the areas of climate change reduction in EU greenhouse gas and renewable energy generation.

The 2011 ENVIRON colloquium has the Environmental Protection Agency as a new partner in the event, along with the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland and UCC. The 2020 date is appropriate to the Environmental Protection Agency which has established goals for key environmental challenges in the area of climate change, clean air, water, soil and biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources as part of its ‘2020 Vision –Protecting and Improving Ireland’s Environment’.

Professor Michael Depledge (former chairman of the UK Science Advisory Committee on the Environment & Climate Change) will deliver the colloquium keynote address on Wednesday, April 6th (8pm, Devere Hall, UCC) on the topic of ‘Health and the Value of Nature’. The seminar is open to the public and all are welcome.

The colloquium programme will begin on Thursday, April 7th with a plenary session involving a number of high profile speakers who will speak on the colloquium theme of environmental challenges and opportunities for the next decade; speaker will include Professor John Sweeney (NUI Maynooth), Laura Burke (director of the EPA’s Office of Communications and Corporate Services) and John Mullins (chief executive of Bord Gais).

The 2011 colloquium research programme contains more than 150 oral and poster presentations which will be presented under the sub-themes of:

* Water Quality

* Energy & Climate Change

* Marine and Coastal Research

* Biodiversity and Ecosystems

* Environmental Management

* Environmental Technologies

* Environment and Health.

ENVIRON 2011 also has a range of additional training seminars, symposia and workshops including:

* Ocean Studies – Avenues for Employment; Creating a Career from Studies of the Sea

* Geospatial technologies – their value for your real world applications

* Science Communication workshop

* 3rd Annual Postgraduate Research Symposium on Environmental Law

Life Coaching

All workshops are free to colloquium delegates. The colloquium organisers are cognisant of the current economic environment and have introduced a special one-day registration fee of Eur150 and students/OAPs/unemployed can register for Eur100. For more information on the colloquium programme and to register for the event visit www.esaiweb.org/content/environ2011.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s climate change lecture series continues on Tuesday, 15th March 2011, at 6.30pm, in the Mansion House, Dublin, with a lecture entitled ‘Climate Change and Agriculture – ensuring food production is not threatened’. The lecture will be given by Alexendre Meybeck of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, based in Rome.

One of the biggest challenges of this century will be providing food for a projected population of nine billion people in the face of climate change and growing competition for the use of natural resources. Mr Meybeck’s lecture will address three intertwined challenges for agriculture:

1 Food systems have to ensure food security for all.

2 They have to adapt to climate change and become more resilient at every level, from local to global; taking regional imbalances into account – since the effects of climate change will vary greatly across regions.

3 How and to what extent food systems can contribute to mitigating the effects of climate change.

Mr Meybeck’s talk will focus on ways to address these challenges and will call for ‘climate smart agriculture’. There are already technical solutions but they need to be up-scaled and enhanced. Developing climate smart agriculture will require renewed efforts across research, development and investment from local to global levels.

Laura Burke, director of the EPA’s Office of Climate Change, says: “This is a topic which goes to the heart of climate change and one in which Ireland has unique interests. The agriculture sector, which produces almost 30 per cent of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, remains the single largest contributor to overall emissions. Agriculture is key to Ireland’s economic growth, employing 150,000 people and producing annual exports of more than Eur7 billion. Sustainable intensification of agriculture is required to address the interactions between food security, agriculture and climate change.”

All previous lectures in the EPA’s Climate Change Lecture Series are now available on the EPA’s You Tube Channel www.YouTube.com/EPAIreland and on the EPA’s website at www.epa.ie/downloads/videos/climate/.