Executive Summary

This study was commissioned by the EPA as part of the Environmental RTDI Programme 2000-2006. The aims of the project included a review of the recent international literature on the environmental impacts of the transport sector and on the integration of environmental considerations into transport planning and operations.

Ten topic areas were identified from the project brief and in consultation with the EPA, and these ten sections form the basis for the structure of the report. The topic areas are air pollution, waste from the transport sector, eco-audits and strategic environmental assessment, economic instruments, land use, public awareness, noise, natural heritage, public transport and information technology.

Relevant published reports were reviewed to determinethe environmental significance of the transport sector inIreland. Organisations were consulted so that aninventory of ongoing research could be compiled.Finally, recommendations are made on the essentialresearch necessary to integrate environmentalconsiderations into the transport sector. In the executivesummary, each topic area is mentioned briefly,highlighting the important concerns in each andidentifying the priorities for further research in the area.

Full executive summary in report.