State of the Environment report 

The EPA produces state of the environment reports on a four-yearly cycle. These reports provide timely information and knowledge to the public, policymakers and key economic sectors in support of action to protect and manage the environment. Ireland's Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 is the most recent state of the environment report published by the EPA.  The seventh in the series, previous state of the environment reports were published in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 & 2016.

Ireland’s Environment, the EPA’s companion online resource, is refreshed regularly with new data. It provides a current assessment of the state of the Irish environment using key indicators.

State of Environment report 2020

Ireland's Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 presents the most recent integrated information on the quality of Ireland's environment. The report outlines the current state of our environment at a strategic level. It also provides an update on the environmental challenges that we face, nationally and globally. 

Access the 2020 report and resources in this section:

View the Ireland's Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 report in full

View the Key Messages Booklet 2020

View the report's 3-minute video

Flick through the report in ebook format

Read the 2020 report's Foreword

Read the 2020 report's Executive Summary

NEW - Ireland's Environment Maps and Charts (supplement)

Figures and tables from Chapter 15, Environmental performance, policy and implementation:

TitleFigure/Table link (pdf)
Summary of key selected environmental legislation, policies and plans in place in Ireland across the key thematic areas Figure 15.1
Overview of some of the important sectoral policies, plans and programmes in place in Ireland Figure 15.2  
Suggested enablers for improving implementation and integration of environmental policy, plans and programmes in Ireland Table 15.2
Current assessment and outlook for Ireland across five key environmental policy areas Table 15.3 

Explore the 2020 report chapter by chapter:

Chapter 1 Introduction (pdf)
Chapter 2Climate (pdf)
Chapter 3Air quality (pdf)
Chapter 4 Environmental noise (pdf)
Chapter 5Land and soil (pdf)
Chapter 6Nature (pdf)
Chapter 7Water quality (pdf)
Chapter 8The marine environment (pdf)
Chapter 9Waste (pdf)
Chapter 10Environment and industry (pdf)
Chapter 11Environment and transport (pdf)
Chapter 12Environment and energy (pdf)
Chapter 13Environment and agriculture (pdf)
Chapter 14Environment, health and wellbeing (pdf)
Chapter 15Environmental performance, policy and implementation (pdf) 
Chapter 16Conclusions (pdf) 

Previous reports in the state of Ireland's environment series

Additional resources:

Find out about The EPA Story of Your Stuff competition. Active between January and March/April each year, the competition aims to encourage behaviours around sustainability, climate action and environmental protection among second-level students. Participants investigate and present the environmental story of their everyday ‘stuff’. Students use the resources on the EPA website, particularly the Ireland’s Environment web resource, to research their entries. 

Learn about Europe's environment on the European Environment Agency's website

Learn about the European Green Deal – the plan to make the EU's economy sustainable and climate neutral by 2050

Read about the EU Environment Action Programme to 2030 (8th EAP) - the programme to guide European environmental policy until 2030

View the interactive EPA Maps