SEA Environmental Report for the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
Section 4
Environmental Baseline
Climate
4.1 Introduction Reflecting the specifications in the SEA Directive, the relevant aspects of the current state of the environment for the following environmental components are described in this section: biodiversity and flora and fauna, population and human health, soil, water, air and climatic factors, material assets, cultural heritage including architectural and archaeological heritage, landscape and the interrelationship between the above factors. This description includes information that is relevant to lower tier planning, environmental assessments and decision-making 6 . Given the potential for impacts beyond the City boundary, the spatial scope of the SEA takes into account the zone of influence (15km or greater where relevant) of the Plan. 4.2 National Reporting on the Environment The EPA’s “Ireland’s Environment – An Assessment 2020” report provides an integrated assessment of the overall quality of Ireland’s environment, the pressures being placed on it and the societal responses to current and emerging environmental issues. This report has informed various parts of the environmental baseline provided below. The key environmental challenges or messages
Systemic change is required for Ireland to become the climate-neutral and climate resilient society and economy that it aspires to be. Adoption of measures to meet the World Health Organization air quality guideline values should be the target to aim for in the Clean Air Strategy.
Air Quality
Nature
Safeguard nature and wild places as a national priority and to leave a legacy for future generations.
Water Quality
Improve the water environment and tackle water pollution locally at a water catchment level.
Marine
Reduce the human-induced pressures on the marine environment.
Clean Energy
Ireland needs to move rapidly away from the extensive use of fossil fuels to the use of clean energy systems.
Environmentally Sustainable Agriculture An agriculture and food sector that
demonstrates validated performance around producing food with a low environmental footprint.
Water Services
Drinking water and wastewater infrastructure must meet the needs of our society.
Circular Economy
Move to a less wasteful and circular economy where the priority is waste prevention, reuse, repair and recycling.
identified by the report are: Environmental Policy Position
Land Use
Promote integrated land-mapping approaches to support decision-making on sustainable land use.
A national policy position for Ireland’s Environment.
The report highlights that high-quality green and blue spaces are not just for nature but are for peoples’ health and wellbeing, particularly in the context of an increasingly urban society and increasing settlement densities.
Full implementation
Full implementation of existing environmental legislation and a review of the governance around the coordination on environmental protection across public bodies.
Health and Wellbeing
Protecting the Environment is an Investment in Our Health and Wellbeing.
6 Article 5 of the SEA Directive, in accordance with the established European principle of subsidiarity, requires that the Environmental Report includes the information that may reasonably be required
taking into account, inter alia, the extent to which certain matters are more appropriately assessed at different levels in that process in order to avoid duplication of the assessment.
CAAS for Cork City Council
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