From Evidence to Opportunity: State
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From Evidence to Opportunity A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment 2013 Ministerial Foreword Our rich and varied natural environment and built heritage lie at the heart of our lives and are central to building a strong economy and sense of well-being. This second report on the State of the Environment in Northern Ireland brings together recent information on how our environment is performing across land, water, sea and air. The indicators and emerging trends show complex interactions between different parts of our environment and how our activities in one area can impact on another. In some areas, such as in water quality and recycling, we are making steady progress whilst in others, such as reversing the decline in our biodiversity, significant challenges remain. We recognise that there are shortfalls and gaps in our knowledge but the evidence highlights how we need to respond. A better understanding of the pressures we face will help us to make the right decisions in creating a healthy and prosperous society which is resilient to change. This report will make a valuable contribution to this process. The challenges identified in our first report on climate change, biodiversity and land use have been brought into even sharper focus as we adopt new approaches to stimulate growth following the global economic downturn. To address these challenges we need to recognise in all our decision-making the full value of the services our natural environment and built heritage provide in underpinning a healthy economy, prosperity and well-being. All of us have a role to play in shaping the environment we want for our future. Working together I believe we can realise the opportunities to deliver the right conditions for the benefit of the economy, the environment and the people of Northern Ireland. Mark H Durkan MLA Minister of the Environment December 2013 Acknowledgements This report was prepared with the assistance of experts within the Environment and Marine Group of Department of the Environment and its key partners who contributed information and comment. The project was led by Caroline Barry of NIEA under the direction of Pat Corker. Special thanks are due to Wendy McKinley at NIEA who prepared an initial update of data and challenges in 2010. We are particularly grateful to Annika Clements under the direction of Professor Sue Christie at Northern Ireland Environmental Link who undertook initial research to identify evidence, issues and gaps for the development of this assessment. The DOE editorial group and principal authors of themed chapters include: Air Barry McAuley (DOE Environmental Policy Division) and Judith Wilson (NIEA Industrial Pollution & Radiochemical Inspectorate) Climate Valerie Hamilton (DOE Environmental Policy Division) Water Wendy McKinley, Devina Park, Martin Gregg, Lynn McFarland (NIEA Water Management Unit) Marine Michael McAliskey, Trevor Harrison, David Steele (DOE Marine Division), Land and Landscape Mansil Miller (NIEA Natural Heritage Directorate) Biodiversity Richard Weyl (NIEA Natural Heritage Directorate) Built Heritage John O’Keeffe (NIEA Built Heritage Directorate) Waste and Resources Nichola Connery (DOE Environmental Policy Division) Environment and Economy David Charlton (NIEA Innovation Strategies Directorate) Environment and Health Pamela Livingstone (NIEA Innovation Strategies Directorate) Additional material, valuable comment, maps, case studies and illustrations were provided by the following NIEA and DOE colleagues: Kerri Burges, David Gibson, Gary Ewing, Stephen Aston, Brigid O’Neill, Richard Murphy, Darrell Stanley, Siobhan Conlon, Brian Williams, Rhonda Robinson, Mark Wright, Ian Enlander, Mark Hammond, Peter Cush, Sandi Howie, Keith Finegan, John Farren, Leigh Gould, Kieran Higgans, Martin Bradley, Hugh McCann, Gary Scott, Stuart Fallis, Theresa Kearney, Mark Carswell, Pamela Patterson, Silke Hartmann, Adrian Gregory, David O’Neill, Manus Deery, Brian McKervey, Claire Foley, Michael McCallion, Brendan Forde, Claire Vincent, Gerard McClarey, Carol O’Boyle, Joanne Hanna, Anna Louise Jellie, Margaret O’Connor, William Dukelow, Donald Starritt, Janice Harvey, Jennifer McCay, Owen Lyttle, Eamon Campbell, Anthony Courtney , Niall McGlinchey and Richard Collett. SOE 2013▐ i Acknowledgements Thanks also go to the following: Paddy Boylan (Loughs Agency), Crawford Jordan (Northern Ireland Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute), Alex Higgins (Northern Ireland Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute), Seamus Connor (DCAL Fisheries), John Kane (DCAL Fisheries), Adam Reid (DCAL Fisheries), John Griffin (DARD Forestry Service), Bob Jones (National Soil Resources Institute) and Thomas Mayr (National Soil Resources Institute). SOE 2013▐ ii Contents Executive Summary v Indicators and Trends ix SECTION 1: CONTEXT 1 Introduction 1 2 Our Changing Environment 4 SECTION 2: THEMES 3 Air 13 4 Climate 35 5 Water 51 6 Marine 79 7 Land and Landscape 101 8 Biodiversity 125 9 Built Heritage 145 10 Waste and Resources 163 SECTION 3: PROSPERITY AND WELL BEING 11 Environment and Economy 181 12 Environment and Health 195 13 Conclusions and Key Challenges 209 Glossary 211 Acronyms 219 Photograph credits 223 SOE 2013▐ iii Executive Summary A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment 2013: Executive Summary Editors Pat Corker and Caroline Barry SOE 2013▐ iv Executive Summary “From Evidence to Opportunity” is Northern Ireland’s second State of the Environment report. The first report “Our environment, our heritage, our future” was published in 2008 and presented baseline indicators across six themes to provide an evidence-based assessment of the state of the environment. The introduction of annual Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics reports in 2009 means that we now have an extensive set of indicators on the Northern Ireland environment. This second assessment provides a five year update and commentary on forty four indicators across eight themes. These indicators are drawn from the annual Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Reports and information from a range of sources including the Northern Ireland Environment Agency and other public bodies. This report draws together in one place an overall picture of our environment and identifies cross-cutting issues. As a result we are now better able to assess the effectiveness of our environmental policies over the longer term and to base decisions on how we manage and protect our environment on appropriate evidence. The linkages between the environment and human activities are complex. Since 2008 we have experienced the effects of recession from a global economic downturn. This has lowered the pressure on the environment in some areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, but intensified the need to respond to new approaches to stimulate growth, use our natural and heritage resources more effectively and build resilience for the future. Significant updates in legislation and policy frameworks reflect the priorities for building a strong economy and delivering resource efficiency whilst protecting and enhancing our natural environment and heritage assets. Key Findings Overall, the current picture of our environment is variable. On the positive side, air quality continues to improve, water quality has benefitted substantially from improved effluent controls and there has been a steady increase in municipal waste recycling rates. In other areas, such as reversing the decline in our biodiversity and meeting key objectives for the quality of our freshwaters, landscapes, habitats and heritage, significant challenges remain. The key findings for each of the themes are as follows: Air: Air quality continues to improve. Problems remain on nitrogen dioxide emissions, due to transport, and ammonia emissions, mostly due to livestock, which pose a risk to sensitive habitats and ecosystems. SOE 2013▐ v Executive Summary Climate: There was an overall reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 11% from 1990 baseline to 2007, but transport emissions are still increasing and greater reductions will be required to meet targets in the future. While some evidence is emerging to suggest that some temperature and rainfall patterns are changing in Northern Ireland, long term trends remain unclear. Implementation of the Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme will be a key priority. Water: Improvements have been reported in water utility discharges and drinking water quality and there has been a reduction in water pollution incidents. Water Framework Directive objectives remain a significant issue, with only around one quarter of our rivers and lakes currently meeting these objectives and little change in overall status since 2009. Particular challenges include diffuse nutrient pollution, chemical status of the water environment and measures to address physical modifications of beds, banks and shores of surface waters. However, we are broadly on track to implement the measures we identified through our river basin management plans and local management partnerships. Marine: The overall quality of the marine environment around Northern Ireland’s shores, including bathing water quality and beaches, is improving, assisted by improvements to waste water treatment. However, marine litter is a particular issue and systematic surveys have been introduced to help future assessments of the impacts on marine life. Implementing the Marine Strategy Framework Directive will be a challenge, with just one third of our marine bodies meeting objectives.