Green Infrastructure Policy and Planning in Ireland

BIODIVERSITY

ECO-SYSTEM SERVICES

GREEN INFRA-STRUCTURE

CLIMATE CHANGE

Dr Shane Colgan27th November 2012

What Does Biodiversity Mean…?

“…biodiversity can be somewhat of a ‘poor relation’ among environmental topics; highlighting the particular need for mainstreaming of the subject”

Delivering Benefits…• Infrastructure

• Green Infrastructure delivers for…

TourismAgriFood

HealthQuality of Life

FDI…

Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan1. Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all sectors

2. Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity

3. Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services

4. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside

5. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment

6. Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species

7. Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan1. Mainstream biodiversity in the decision making process across all

sectors

2. Substantially strengthen the knowledge base for conservation, management and sustainable use of biodiversity

3. Increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystems services

4. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the wider countryside

5. Conserve and restore biodiversity and ecosystem services in the marine environment

6. Expand and improve on the management of protected areas and legally protected species

7. Strengthen the effectiveness of international governance for biodiversity and ecosystem services

Green Infrastructure & Policy - IE• Our Sustainable Future

– Priorities for Action: Protecting and enhancing Ireland’s green infrastructure

• Delivering Our Green Potential– Strengths: An outstanding natural environment and rich biodiversity;

Excellent natural resources

– clear link between the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity and the benefit to the economy.

• Ireland’s Environment 2012– EcoSystem Services & Health

• Climate Adaptation Framework• Planning ---- >

Green Infrastructure & Policy - EU

• EU 2020 Biodiversity Policy (and planned Green Infrastructure Strategy);

• Habitats and Birds Directives; • Water Framework Directive, Floods Directive,

Marine Strategy Framework Directive; • EIA and SEA Directives;• Ecosystem-based approaches to climate

change adaptation and mitigation.

EU Biodiv Strategy: Targets for 2020

1. Full implementation of EU Nature legislation

2. Maintain & restore ecosystems & their services

3. Increase the contribution of agriculture and forestry to biodiversity

4. Sustainable use of fisheries resources

5. Control Invasive Alien species

6. Tackle the global biodiversity crisis

EU Biodiv Strategy: Target-2 Actions

2. Maintain & restore ecosystems & their services– Improve knowledge of ecosystems and their services

in the EU

– Set priorities to restore and promote the use of green infrastructure

– Ensure no net loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services

EPA & Landcover Mapping in Ireland

• Key data source for meeting legislative requirements – e.g. Water Framework Directive, Kyoto Protocol

• No mandated authority on landcover mapping

• Teagasc, NPWS, Heritage Council, Local Authorities…

• EPA Plays a central role…– Irish National Focal Point and Reference Centre for

EEA and GMES related Land monitoring activities

– Produced CORINE 2000 & 2006 for Ireland

– Currently working on CORINE 2012 (Complete 2014)

CORINE - Applications & Limitations• CORINE: only continuous, up-to date national landcover dataset.• Limitations:

– Pan-European dataset: Classification is designed on central and southern European environments not Irish / North Atlantic climatic zone => Insufficient mapping of Irish grassland, upland and peatland types.

– Coarse spatial resolution: Smaller landscape features are omitted. In particular, hedgerows, river channels, houses and transport infrastructure are not mapped.

• Relying on Corine for national reporting and assessment purposes is not an ideal situation

• Dedicated national landcover dataset would be far more appropriate. Products…– High resolution Land-Cover and Land-Use dataset (1ha)– ‘EEA’ dataset,

National Landcover Working Group• Investigating different production models and data sources for a national

landcover map series

• OSi’s new Prime2 spatial boundary database used as the data baselayer.

• Prime2 populated by existing national datasets such as LPIS and NFI

• The remaining areas – the ‘data gaps’ – mapped using Remote sensing techniques to interpret satellite imagery.

• A draft national landcover classification schema was devised to accurately describe and account for the Irish landscape.

Pilot study: Co Roscommon

• Enhanced Spatial Accuracy• Improved Thematic Classifications• Future national roll-out – pilot to be released early 2013• More: Kevin Lydon, EPA

EPA-STRIVE Research Programme

Climate Change :: Water :: Sustainable Environment

Identifying pressures :: Informing Policy :: Developing Solutions

• Urban Environment Project – Green City Guidelines• AGBIOTA, BIOCHANGE, BOGLAND

• National Platform for Biodiversity Research– Defining national biodiversity research needs– Info exchange: research community policy makers– Linkages with EPBRS and IPBES

• Developing an Ecosystem approach to the integration of the concept of green infrastructure in spatial plans. NEW!

Integrating ecosystem approaches, green infrastructure and spatial planning

ECO-PLAN

Dr. Mark Scott (PI), Dr. Marcus CollierUCD School of Geography, Planning

& Environmental Policy

Dr. Karen FoleyUCD School of Architecture (Landscape)

Current GPEP Research

• EU:– TURaS – transitioning towards resilience

• with Landscape Architecture– OPERAs – operationalising ecosystem services– COST Action – ecosystem services and well being

• Ireland– EPA – STRIVE – Eco-Plan, ADAPT and Eco-Risk– DRA – regional development needs– IRCHSS – European Social Survey

Why ECO-PLAN?

• Gap in ecosystem management and built environment planning processes– GI is a key linking concept

• One year post doctoral project to:– assess and identify suitable methodologies,

guidelines and policy tools / instruments for the development of an ecosystem approach to the integration of the concept of green infrastructure in spatial planning.

• Addressing the need to operationalise emerging research in:– green infrastructure– resilience theory– spatial planning

ECO-PLAN Aims

• Potential of the GI concept and an integrative policy tool

• Identify the international frameworks

• Baseline study of current practice

• Stakeholder based approach

• Guidelines and tools

ECO-PLAN Outputs

• State of knowledge / literature review

• Annotated bibliography

• Policy briefs

• Reports: on national practice

• One day workshop

• CPD workshops (4)