Research Publications

Research 373: Using an Experimental Governance Lens to Examine Governance of the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018–2021

Authors: Richard Boyle, Joanna O’Riordan, Fergal O’Leary and Laura Shannon, May 2021

Year: 2021

This report examines lessons learned from the water governance arrangements put in place for the River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) 2018–2021 for Ireland through the lens of experimental governance. The study finds that the three-tier governance structure is appropriate and should be continued. However, there is still room for improvement in the area of adapting and improving the operation of the existing arrangements.

Research 372: Using the OECD Water Governance Indicator Framework to Review the Implementation of the River Basin Management Plan for Ireland 2018–2021

Authors: Joanna O’Riordan, Richard Boyle, Fergal O’Leary and Laura Shannon, May 2021

Year: 2021

This report assesses water governance in Ireland using the Water Governance Indicator Framework, a tool developed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2018 to assist countries in assessing their progress towards the European Union’s Water Framework Directive.

Research 371: Climate Change and Land Use in Ireland

Author: Eamon Haughey, May 2021

Year: 2021

Land supports a range of ecosystem services including biodiversity and economic outputs in the agriculture and forestry sectors. This report identified pressures in the land system by analysing land use and outputs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the land system. It identifies knowledge gaps in relation to national land use mapping, which currently limit the potential for regional analyses of land–climate interactions.

Research 370: Potential Health Impact of Phthalates: An Irish Perspective

Authors: Catherine Allen, Fiona Regan, Anthony Staines and Jenny Lawler, April 2021

Year: 2021

Phthalates are plasticisers that are ubiquitous in the environment, have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system and are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects. This report identifies that all 11 phthalates studied are currently present in the Irish environment. The levels of human exposure indicate that there is no immediate risk to human health on a population-averaged basis.

Ex-Post Analysis of the Impact of National Landfill Policy for Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Waste Sector

Authors: Iulia Siedschlag, Weijie Yan and Stefano Meneto, March 2021

Year: 2021

This research examines the impact of Ireland’s landfill policy on greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector over the past three decades. The analysis focuses on direct methane emissions emanating from the municipal solid waste disposed to landfill sites in Ireland over the period 1990-2018.

Guide to 2021 EPA Funding Schemes

Authors: EPA, March 2021

Year: 2021

This guide provides an overview of the EPA Research funding schemes open in 2021.

Discussion Document supporting the 2021-2023 EPA Research 2030 Thematic Research Areas Assessment

Authors: EPA, March 2021

Year: 2021

This document is the Discussion Document supporting the EPA Research 2030: 2021–2023 Thematic Research Areas Assessment.

2021-2023 EPA Research 2030 Thematic Research Areas Assessment

Authors: EPA, March 2021

Year: 2021

This thematic assessment provides an overview of the research areas linked to addressing knowledge and evidence gaps to support medium and long-term environmental policy actions and objectives, identified for the period 2021-2023.

2022 EPA Research 2030 Action Plan

Authors: EPA, March 2021

Year: 2021

This Action Plan 2022 provides a guide for the planned activities of the EPA Research Programme in 2022.

2021 EPA Research 2030 Action Plan

Authors: EPA, March 2021

Year: 2021

This Action Plan 2021 provides a guide for the planned activities of the EPA Research Programme in 2021.

Research 369: CIViC: Critical Infrastructure Vulnerability to Climate Change

Authors: Páraic C. Ryan, Lara Hawchar, Owen Naughton and Mark G. Stewart, March 2021

Year: 2021

Modern society relies on the effective functioning of critical infrastructure networks to provide public services, enhance quality of life and spur sustainable economic development. Part A of this report presents a framework and analysis aimed at identifying potential risks for the four main critical infrastructure sectors. Part B of the report was applied to part of the energy sector as an illustrative case study.

EPA Research Report Layout Template

Year: 2021

This template should be used for the preparation of final reports for EPA Research projects.

Research 368: Prevention, Control and Eradication of Invasive Alien Species

Authors: Frances E. Lucy, Joe Caffrey, Jaimie T.A. Dick, Eithne Davis and Neil E. Coughlan, February 2021

Year: 2021

Invasive alien species (IAS) are animals and plants that become introduced, either accidentally or intentionally to a region where they are not present and have serious negative impacts where they establish. This research informs policy on the prevention, early detection and rapid eradication of IAS, and their management in accordance with the internationally agreed hierarchical approach to combatting IAS.

Research 367: Particulate Matter from Diesel Vehicles: Emissions and Exposure

Authors: Meabh Gallagher, Bidroha Basu, Bidisha Ghosh, Md. Saniul Alam, Laurence Gill, BalzKamber and Aonghus McNabola, February 2021

Year: 2021

Research was conducted to assess the contribution of diesel vehicle emissions to the concentrations of PM2.5 in Dublin. The major source identified was solid fuel burning, contributing 46-50% of the total mass recorded. The 2nd largest contributor at a roadside site was diesel vehicle emissions (22%) followed closely by road dust (19%). The 2nd largest source at a suburban site was soil (20%) followed closely by sea spray (14%).

Research 366: An Investigation into WEEE Arising and Not Arising in Ireland (EEE2WEEE)

Authors: Yvonne Ryan-Fogarty, Katherine Casey, Damian Coughlan, Maria Lichrou, Lisa O’Malley and Colin Fitzpatrick, February 2021

Year: 2021

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is the fastest growing waste stream in Europe. This research provides insight into consumer and business behaviours towards WEEE, particularly regarding how key decisions are made around WEEE disposal. This research determined a hybrid approach to WEEE target setting should be explored, using data available to Ireland and using aspects of the WEEE Calculation Tool.

EPA Research 2030 Framework A Framework for EPA Research 2021-2030

Authors: EPA, February 2021

Year: 2021

EPA Research 2030 is a 10-year high-level framework for research programming (2021-2030), designed to be agile, responsive and flexible.

Research 364: Learning from Group Water Schemes: Community Infrastructures for Sustainable Development

Authors: Patrick Bresnihan, Arielle Hesse and James Merricks White, January 2021

Year: 2021

The quality of many of Ireland’s freshwater sources is declining, impacting in turn the quality and affordability of Ireland’s drinking water services. This project examines the history and development of the group water scheme sector, identifying how and why it has been successful in providing essential water services to rural Ireland, and providing several key findings that have implications beyond the rural water sector.

Research 365: Developing Ireland’s Greenhouse Gas and Transboundary Air Pollution Monitoring Network

Authors: Damien Martin and Colin O’Dowd, January 2021

Year: 2021

The Atmospheric Composition and Climate Change (AC3) network is an established national research and monitoring infrastructure developed incrementally. It monitors greenhouse gases, short-lived climate forcers, and aerosol chemical and physical characteristics in line with best practice from pan-European and global monitoring programmes. This fellowship has enabled and sustained scientific operations for a national monitoring network.

Research 363: No Home for Plastic

Authors: Abigail O’Callaghan-Platt and Mindy O’Brien, January 2021

Year: 2021

Plastic has become a ubiquitous material globally. Research quantifying the amount of plastic in the environment has prompted calls for action to tackle the use of this problem material. Aiming to reduce individual plastic consumption, this research revealed practical barriers to behaviour change including a lack of easy access to plastic-free options, the cost of plastic-free shopping and a lack of information on plastic-free options.

Research 362: Evaluating Ireland’s Climate Policy Performance

Authors: Sabrina Dekker and Diarmuid Torney, January 2021

Year: 2021

To date, Ireland’s climate change policy response has not delivered sufficient progress. The central objectives of this project were to construct a policy evaluation framework that builds on a standard EU evaluation framework and to undertake evaluations of climate change policies across all sectors using the framework, with a specific focus on key policies.