EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This Air Quality Strategy for Cork City outlines the actions that Cork City Council will undertake between 2021 and 2026 to reduce the concentrations of air pollutants in the city area; thereby positively impacting on the health and quality of life of residents and visitors. The air that we breathe has significant impacts on our health and well-being. Long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution can severely weaken immune systems and exacerbate pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma and negatively affect lung and heart function. In a recent report by the Irish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 2020), over 1,300 premature deaths per annum are attributable to poor air quality in Ireland. There are numerous sources of air pollution in Cork City. They include exhaust fumes from vehicle combustion engines, emissions from residences, as well as emissions from industry and agriculture. There are certain pollutants that are recognized as being responsible for the majority of air pollution issues within the city. These include Nitrogen oxides (NO X ), Particulate Matter (PM), Sulphur Dioxide (SO 2 ) and Tropospheric or Ground Level Ozone (O 3 ). This Air Quality Strategy builds on significant work being conducted by Cork City Council to develop a high level air quality monitoring system and to develop initiatives designed to lower the levels of pollutants in the air throughout the city. Implementation of this Air Quality Strategy will involve inputs from numerous departments within the City Council as well as contributions from external stakeholders.
The actions set out to deliver the strategy have been separated into seven themes: 1. Health and Wellbeing 2. Air Quality Monitoring 3. Travel 4. Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure 5. Regulation and Enforcement 6. Green Infrastructure 7. Research and Innovation.
Cork City Council has established structures to oversee the implementation of this Air Quality Strategy involving the elected members of Cork City Council and the Strategic Policy Committee for the Environment; and at the Executive level the Senior Management Team as well as a specialist Air Quality Team shall be the main drivers. The strategy will be reviewed every five years and progress on measures to improve air quality set out in this strategy will be outlined in an Annual Air Quality Report.
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