specific sustainable community and economic objectives and their respective action areas (see Annex A below).
Environmental problems relevant to the Plan
The SEA Environmental Report of Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 identifies a number of environmental problems/pressures relevant to the Plan area, including the following: Biodiversity and Flora and Fauna Existing Problems Ireland’s Article 17 report on the Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland (DCHG, 2019) identifies various Irish, EU protected habitats and species to be of unfavourable status and many to be still declining, although it also identifies that a range of positive actions are underway. Categories for pressures and threats on Ireland’s habitats and species identified by the report comprise:
Agriculture;
• •
Forestry;
• Extraction of resources (minerals, peat, non-renewable energy resources); • Energy production processes and related infrastructure development; • Development and operation of transport systems; • Development, construction and use of residential, commercial, industrial and recreational infrastructure and areas; • Extraction and cultivation of biological living resources (other than agriculture and forestry); • Military action, public safety measures, and other human intrusions; • Alien and problematic species; • Mixed source pollution; • Human-induced changes in water regimes; • Natural processes (excluding catastrophes and processes induced by human activity or climate change); • Geological events, natural catastrophes; • Climate change; and • Unknown pressures, no pressures and pressures from outside the Member State. Ireland’s Article 12 Birds Directive Reports and the 6th National Report under the Convention of Biological Diversity identify similar issues. The Plan includes measures to contribute towards the protection of biodiversity and flora and fauna and associated ecosystem services. Previous changes in land uses arising from human development have resulted in a loss of biodiversity and flora and fauna however, legislative objectives governing biodiversity and fauna were not identified as being conflicted with. Population and Human Health There is historic and predictive evidence of flooding in various locations across the City (see information on SFRA in Section 4.9.8 of the CCDP 2022-2028 SEA report). The greatest health risk from radiation in Ireland is caused by radon. The presence of radon gas, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils, occurs across the country. It accounts for more than half of the total radiation dose received by the Irish population. As a known carcinogen, in the same category as tobacco smoke and asbestos it is a cause of lung cancer. Exposure to radon for long periods or at high concentrations can lead to lung cancer. The number of homes within the City with radon levels above the reference level is within the normal range experienced in other locations across
30
Powered by FlippingBook