Polluted rivers, dirty beaches, clogged roads - it seems that Ireland's environment is deteriorating in inverse proportion to the growth of our economy. Or are we just fixating on negative headlines? No one yet has done a Lomborg-style audit, but it's clear from a quick perusal of available statistics that the picture is less gloomy than we might think.
Leave aside the current economic boom, which has led to higher incomes and fewer people living in poverty. Also forget the fact that life expectancy is increasing and more diseases are treatable more successfully.
Each year the Environmental Protection Agency issues a report on the state of Ireland's economy. While it draws attention to areas of concern and problems that have arisen in the previous year, this tends to draw attention away from the broader trends.
In general, these show a stable or improving situation. In the area of air pollution, for example, the figures for Dublin show a massive fall in lead pollution and a modest fall in nitrogen dioxide and smog pollution. The figures also illustrate the effect of targeted intervention; by banning smoky coal and favouring unleaded petrol we have reduced smog and lead pollution.
On water quality, serious pollution of rivers and lakes is at a low level and is declining, although the figures for slight and moderate pollution are unimpressive. The number of Blue Flag beaches continues to increase and again the effect of target intervention, namely the provision of sewage treatment facilities in Dublin and Galway, has been positive.
