SEA Environmental Report for the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028
4.6.10 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; Human-induced changes in water regimes; Natural processes (excluding catastrophes and processes induced by human activity or climate change); Geological events, natural catastrophes; Unknown pressures, no pressures and pressures from outside the Member State. Alien and problematic species; Mixed source pollution; Climate change; and
Ireland’s Article 12 Birds Directive Reports and the 6 th 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.
CAAS for Cork City Council
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