Takeaways

• Ireland meets current EU air quality standards but faces challenges in achieving stricter 2030 targets.
• Solid fuel burning and traffic emissions remain the leading sources of air pollution.
• Shifting to cleaner heating and sustainable travel is key to healthier air and lives.

Ireland will need to step up efforts to ensure towns and cities maintain clean air, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned. The call comes in the EPA’s Air Quality in Ireland 2024 report, which draws on data from 115 monitoring stations across the country.

While Ireland currently complies with European Union air quality standards, the report highlights challenges in meeting stricter targets set for 2030 under the EU’s Ambient Air Quality Directive. The directive forms part of the EU’s broader Zero Pollution Action Plan, which aims to reduce premature deaths from air pollution by 55% by 2030.

According to the EPA, Ireland is projected to achieve 93% compliance with the fine particulate matter standard (PM2.5) and 78% compliance with nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) limits. However, the country remains well below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) more stringent 2040 health-based guidelines for several key pollutants.

Read More: The Growing Need to Reduce Air Pollution Today

The report identifies solid fuel burning and traffic emissions as the main contributors to air pollution in Ireland. The European Environment Agency estimates that poor air quality contributes to roughly 1,700 premature deaths in the country each year.

“Many of us have grown up with the comfort of an open fire and limited alternatives to travelling by car—but these familiar habits contribute to poor air quality,” said Pat Byrne, director of the EPA’s Office of Radiation Protection and Environmental Monitoring. “Supporting people to shift towards cleaner heating and more sustainable travel isn’t about giving something up—it’s about gaining healthier air and healthier lives.”

The EPA emphasizes that air pollution is not just an urban problem. Towns and villages across Ireland also experience poor air quality. Residents can check real-time updates and a three-day air quality forecast on the EPA’s website, airquality.ie.

Roni Hawe, EPA programme manager for environmental monitoring and surveillance, added: “Ireland is facing considerable challenges in its efforts to meet the more stringent air quality standards set for 2030, as well as the World Health Organization targets for 2040. Achieving these goals will require a decisive shift away from solid fuel burning, alongside the adoption of electric vehicles, efforts to reduce traffic, and encouraging the use of public transport.”

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The report underlines that meeting Ireland’s air quality goals will require coordinated action from government, local authorities, and citizens alike. Cleaner air, experts stress, is an environmental priority and a public health necessity.

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Source: Sustainability Online