Environment, Social and Governance Reporting: Data for the Enterprise Economy 2024

Introduction

This chapter contains tables on water, marine resources and biodiversity. Economic activity can directly impact Ireland's biodiversity 'wellbeing' - for example in terms of land and water usage. The aspects of biodiversity examined in this chapter show us that:

• Level of water stress is higher due to increased water usage.
• Rivers assessed as being of 'high' or 'good' quality remain below the levels reached in 1987-2000.
• Areas under forestry have increased in recent years, but wetlands account for less land area than the period 1990-2006. Forestry and wetlands are required to increase significantly by 2030, to increase carbon sequestration and reduce emissions under the Climate Action plan.

Level of water stress was 8.3% in 2021, slightly up from 2020

The level of water stress reflects the level of total freshwater withdrawn by all major sectors after taking into account environmental water requirements. Major sectors include agriculture, forestry and fishing, manufacturing, electricity generation, industry and services. Ireland's level of water stress increased to 8.3% in 2021 up from 8.1% in 2020 due to increasing demand. See Figure 4.1 and Table 4.1.

Over half of Ireland's rivers had good ambient water quality in 2021

The quality of untreated water in rivers, lakes and groundwaters is impacted by a combination of environmental, human, agricultural and industrial activities. In the period 2015-2021, 52% of Ireland's rivers and lakes were deemed to have good water quality, this is a decline of 8 percentage points from 60% recorded in the period 2010-2012. See Table 4.2.

In 2021, 55% of rivers were classified as being of 'good' or 'high' quality

Rivers are an important natural resource that provide support for many species and habitats. In addition they are a source of clean water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use. The percentage of rivers and streams with good or high water quality decreased from 61% over the period 1987-1990 to 55% in 2021. See Figure 4.2 and Table 4.3.

Grassland accounted for over half of total land use in 2021

The area under forest increased from 7% in 1990 to 11% in 2021, while wetlands declined from 19% in 1990 to 17% in 2021. See Table 4.4.

There are 923,000 hectares of Natura 2000 sites in 2020

Natura 2000 sites consist of both Special Protected Areas (SPA’s) under the EU Birds Directive and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) under the EU Habitats Directive. The area designated as Natura 2000 sites did not change over the 2011-2020 period and remains at 923,000 hectares Currently, around 14% of terrestrial area of Ireland is designated as protected. The EU Biodiversity Strategy has set a target of reaching 30% protected area coverage at the EU level by 2030. See Table 4.5.

Only 6% of Irish land was designated as terrestrial special protected areas in 2021

Ireland, at 6% in 2021, had the fourth lowest proportion of total land area among the 27 EU member states designated as terrestrial Special Protected Areas (SPA’s) under the EU Birds Directive. Croatia at 30% had the highest proportion of total land classified as SPA’s in 2021 and Malta, at 5%, the lowest. See Figure 4.3.

In 2021, Ireland had 10% of its total land area designated as terrestrial Special Areas of Conservation

In 2021, Ireland had 10% of its total land area designated as terrestrial Special Areas of Conservation (SAC’s) under the EU Habitats Directive. This was the sixth lowest rate in the EU27. Slovenia had 33% of its total land area designated as SAC’s, the highest in the EU. Denmark, at 7%, had the lowest. See Figure 4.4.