STRIVE Report Series No.115
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STRIVE Report Series No.115 SIMBIOSYS: Sectoral Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services STRIVE Environmental Protection Agency Programme 2007-2013 Comhshaol, Pobal agus Rialtas Áitiúil Environment, Community and Local Government EPA Inside Pages NEW_Blue Text 07/06/2013 10:12 Page 1 EPA Inside Pages NEW_Blue Text 07/06/2013 10:12 Page 2 Environmental Protection Agency An Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is REGULATING IRELAND’S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Is í an Gníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú RIALÚ ASTUITHE GÁIS CEAPTHA TEASA NA HÉIREANN a statutory body responsible for protecting n Quantifying Ireland’s emissions of greenhouse gases Comhshaoil (EPA) comhlachta reachtúil a n Cainníochtú astuithe gáis ceaptha teasa na the environment in Ireland. We regulate and in the context of our Kyoto commitments chosnaíonn an comhshaol do mhuintir na tíre hÉireann i gcomhthéacs ár dtiomantas Kyoto. police activities that might otherwise cause n Implementing the Emissions Trading Directive, go léir. Rialaímid agus déanaimid maoirsiú ar n Cur i bhfeidhm na Treorach um Thrádáil Astuithe, a pollution. We ensure there is solid involving over 100 companies who are major ghníomhaíochtaí a d'fhéadfadh truailliú a bhfuil baint aige le hos cionn 100 cuideachta atá ina mór-ghineadóirí dé-ocsaíd charbóin in Éirinn. information on environmental trends so that generators of carbon dioxide in Ireland. chruthú murach sin. Cinntímid go bhfuil eolas necessary actions are taken. Our priorities are cruinn ann ar threochtaí comhshaoil ionas go TAIGHDE AGUS FORBAIRT COMHSHAOIL protecting the Irish environment and ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT nglactar aon chéim is gá. Is iad na príomh- n Taighde ar shaincheisteanna comhshaoil a n Co-ordinating research on environmental issues nithe a bhfuilimid gníomhach leo ná ensuring that development is sustainable. chomhordú (cosúil le caighdéan aeir agus uisce, (including air and water quality, climate change, comhshaol na hÉireann a chosaint agus The EPA is an independent public body athrú aeráide, bithéagsúlacht, teicneolaíochtaí biodiversity, environmental technologies). cinntiú go bhfuil forbairt inbhuanaithe. established in July 1993 under the comhshaoil). Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992. STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Is comhlacht poiblí neamhspleách í an Its sponsor in Government is the Department Ghníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil MEASÚNÚ STRAITÉISEACH COMHSHAOIL n Assessing the impact of plans and programmes on (EPA) a bunaíodh i mí Iúil 1993 faoin Acht fán n Ag déanamh measúnú ar thionchar phleananna agus of the Environment, Community and Local the Irish environment (such as waste management chláracha ar chomhshaol na hÉireann (cosúil le Government. and development plans). nGníomhaireacht um Chaomhnú Comhshaoil 1992. Ó thaobh an Rialtais, is í an Roinn pleananna bainistíochta dramhaíola agus forbartha). Comhshaoil, Pobal agus Rialtais Áitiúil. ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, EDUCATION AND OUR RESPONSIBILITIES PLEANÁIL, OIDEACHAS AGUS TREOIR CHOMHSHAOIL GUIDANCE n Treoir a thabhairt don phobal agus do thionscal ar LICENSING n Providing guidance to the public and to industry on ÁR bhFREAGRACHTAÍ cheisteanna comhshaoil éagsúla (m.sh., iarratais ar various environmental topics (including licence We license the following to ensure that their emissions cheadúnais, seachaint dramhaíola agus rialacháin applications, waste prevention and environmental CEADÚNÚ chomhshaoil). do not endanger human health or harm the regulations). environment: Bíonn ceadúnais á n-eisiúint againn i gcomhair na nithe n Eolas níos fearr ar an gcomhshaol a scaipeadh (trí n Generating greater environmental awareness seo a leanas chun a chinntiú nach mbíonn astuithe uathu cláracha teilifíse comhshaoil agus pacáistí n waste facilities (e.g., landfills, incinerators, waste (through environmental television programmes and ag cur sláinte an phobail ná an comhshaol i mbaol: acmhainne do bhunscoileanna agus do transfer stations); primary and secondary schools’ resource packs). n áiseanna dramhaíola (m.sh., líonadh talún, mheánscoileanna). n large scale industrial activities (e.g., pharmaceutical loisceoirí, stáisiúin aistrithe dramhaíola); manufacturing, cement manufacturing, power PROACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT plants); n gníomhaíochtaí tionsclaíocha ar scála mór (m.sh., BAINISTÍOCHT DRAMHAÍOLA FHORGHNÍOMHACH n Promoting waste prevention and minimisation déantúsaíocht cógaisíochta, déantúsaíocht n intensive agriculture; n Cur chun cinn seachaint agus laghdú dramhaíola trí projects through the co-ordination of the National stroighne, stáisiúin chumhachta); n chomhordú An Chláir Náisiúnta um Chosc the contained use and controlled release of Waste Prevention Programme, including input into n diantalmhaíocht; Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); Dramhaíola, lena n-áirítear cur i bhfeidhm na the implementation of Producer Responsibility n úsáid faoi shrian agus scaoileadh smachtaithe n dTionscnamh Freagrachta Táirgeoirí. large petrol storage facilities; Initiatives. Orgánach Géinathraithe (GMO); n Cur i bhfeidhm Rialachán ar nós na treoracha maidir n waste water discharges; n Enforcing Regulations such as Waste Electrical and n mór-áiseanna stórais peitreail; le Trealamh Leictreach agus Leictreonach Caite agus Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of n dumping at sea. le Srianadh Substaintí Guaiseacha agus substaintí a Hazardous Substances (RoHS) and substances that n scardadh dramhuisce; dhéanann ídiú ar an gcrios ózóin. deplete the ozone layer. n dumpáil mara. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT n Plean Náisiúnta Bainistíochta um Dramhaíl n Developing a National Hazardous Waste Management Ghuaiseach a fhorbairt chun dramhaíl ghuaiseach a n Conducting over 1200 audits and inspections of EPA Plan to prevent and manage hazardous waste. FEIDHMIÚ COMHSHAOIL NÁISIÚNTA licensed facilities every year. sheachaint agus a bhainistiú. n Stiúradh os cionn 2,000 iniúchadh agus cigireacht n Overseeing local authorities’ environmental MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE OF THE EPA de áiseanna a fuair ceadúnas ón nGníomhaireacht protection responsibilities in the areas of - air, gach bliain STRUCHTÚR NA GNÍOMHAIREACHTA noise, waste, waste-water and water quality. The organisation is managed by a full time Board, n Maoirsiú freagrachtaí cosanta comhshaoil údarás Bunaíodh an Ghníomhaireacht i 1993 chun comhshaol n consisting of a Director General and four Directors. Working with local authorities and the Gardaí to áitiúla thar sé earnáil - aer, fuaim, dramhaíl, na hÉireann a chosaint. Tá an eagraíocht á bhainistiú stamp out illegal waste activity by co-ordinating a dramhuisce agus caighdeán uisce ag Bord lánaimseartha, ar a bhfuil Príomhstiúrthóir national enforcement network, targeting offenders, The work of the EPA is carried out across four offices: n Obair le húdaráis áitiúla agus leis na Gardaí chun agus ceithre Stiúrthóir. conducting investigations and overseeing n Office of Climate, Licensing and Resource Use remediation. stop a chur le gníomhaíocht mhídhleathach n Office of Environmental Enforcement dramhaíola trí comhordú a dhéanamh ar líonra n Tá obair na Gníomhaireachta ar siúl trí ceithre Oifig: Prosecuting those who flout environmental law and forfheidhmithe náisiúnta, díriú isteach ar chiontóirí, n Office of Environmental Assessment n An Oifig Aeráide, Ceadúnaithe agus Úsáide damage the environment as a result of their actions. stiúradh fiosrúcháin agus maoirsiú leigheas na n Office of Communications and Corporate Services Acmhainní bhfadhbanna. n An Oifig um Fhorfheidhmiúchán Comhshaoil MONITORING, ANALYSING AND REPORTING ON THE n An dlí a chur orthu siúd a bhriseann dlí comhshaoil ENVIRONMENT The EPA is assisted by an Advisory Committee of twelve agus a dhéanann dochar don chomhshaol mar n An Oifig um Measúnacht Comhshaoil members who meet several times a year to discuss thoradh ar a ngníomhaíochtaí. n An Oifig Cumarsáide agus Seirbhísí Corparáide n Monitoring air quality and the quality of rivers, issues of concern and offer advice to the Board. lakes, tidal waters and ground waters; measuring water levels and river flows. MONATÓIREACHT, ANAILÍS AGUS TUAIRISCIÚ AR Tá Coiste Comhairleach ag an nGníomhaireacht le n Independent reporting to inform decision making by AN GCOMHSHAOL cabhrú léi. Tá dáréag ball air agus tagann siad le chéile national and local government. n Monatóireacht ar chaighdeán aeir agus caighdeáin cúpla uair in aghaidh na bliana le plé a dhéanamh ar aibhneacha, locha, uiscí taoide agus uiscí talaimh; cheisteanna ar ábhar imní iad agus le comhairle a leibhéil agus sruth aibhneacha a thomhas. thabhairt don Bhord. n Tuairisciú neamhspleách chun cabhrú le rialtais náisiúnta agus áitiúla cinntí a dhéanamh. EPA STRIVE Programme 2007-2013 SIMBIOSYS: Sectoral Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2007-B-CD-1-S1) Synthesis Report Prepared for the Environmental Protection Agency by Trinity College Dublin Authors Jane C. Stout1, David Bourke1, Myriam Callier2, Tim Carnus1, Tasman P. Crowe2, Jens Dauber1,3, Lisa Dolan4, Mark Emmerson4, Dannielle Green2, Mike B. Jones1, Judith Kochmann2,5, Angela Mina-Vargas6, Erin O’Rourke4, Nova Sharkey1, 4, Charles Spillane6, Dara Stanley1, Rosalyn Thompson4, Reetu Tuteja6, Pádraig Whelan4, Jesko Zimmermann1 1School of Natural Sciences and Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research, Trinity College Dublin, 2School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, 3Thünen Institute of Biodiversity, Federal Research