EPA launches new Quarterly Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Ireland, which show greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 2.2 per cent in Quarter 1 of 2024.
The EPA launched a new series of quarterly greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland to support more frequent monitoring of national and sectoral progress on climate action.
Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions were down 2.2 per cent (306 kt CO2eq) in Quarter 1 2024 compared Quarter 1 of 2023.
Electricity emissions were down 16.7 per cent (-312 kt CO2 eq) driven by reductions in fossil fuel use and increased importation of electricity.
Agriculture emissions were down 2.6 per cent (-129 kt CO2 eq) due to reduced lime application to soils and lower milk output.
Transport emissions were up 2.7 per cent (78.2 kt CO2eq) driven by increased sales of petrol (+9.6 per cent) and diesel (+1.3 per cent).
Emissions from commercial and household buildings increased by +5.8 per cent (+126.0 kt CO2 eq) due to increased demand for heating and a decrease in the price of gas.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today published quarterly greenhouse gas emissions for Ireland for Quarter 1 of 2024. This is a new series of quarterly greenhouse gas emission indicators which will support early and more frequent monitoring of progress on climate action. The data show an overall reduction of 2.2 per cent in the first three months of 2024, compared to the same quarter last year. The largest sectoral decrease in emissions was observed in electricity generation with a reduction of 16.7 per cent (-312 kt CO2 eq). Emission reductions were also observed in the Agricultural (-2.6 per cent, -129 kt CO2 eq) and Industrial (-4.7 per cent, -69 kt CO2 eq) sectors.
Welcoming the report Dr Eimear Cotter, Director of the Office of Evidence and Assessment, EPA said: “These quarterly greenhouse gas emissions respond to an on-going need for more timely and frequent data on Ireland’s greenhouse gases. Ireland joins a small number of countries worldwide to carry out this type of assessment, which will provide valuable early and frequent indicator data for the monitoring and governance of Ireland’s climate action. The series will complement the national greenhouse gas inventory and projections prepared annually by the EPA”.
Commenting on the findings, she added: “The reduction of 2.2 per cent in Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions in the first quarter of 2024, when compared with the same period last year, is welcome following the largest annual reduction in emissions outside of recession reported in 2023. This shows that we can make progress in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions when concerted action is taken.”
An increase in greenhouse gas emissions for transport (+2.7 per cent), commercial (+4.1 per cent) and residential buildings (+6.1 per cent) in Quarter 1 of 2024 shows the clear link between increased energy demand, largely delivered by fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Also speaking about the results, Ms Mary Frances Rochford, Programme Manager of EPA’s Climate Programme said: “These findings signal the continued impact of climate action and decarbonisation measures across Ireland’s economy and society. The assessment on a quarterly basis also highlights the impact of market prices and weather conditions. We see reduced emissions from the electricity sector linked to increased renewables and interconnection, increases in emissions from heating associated with lower fuel price and cooler temperatures than quarter 1 2023. Poor weather conditions also impacted lime application to soils which led to lower emissions from the agriculture sector.” The Quarterly Greenhouse Gas Emissions Indicators for Quarter 1 of 2024 is available on the EPA website HERE, and the EPA Greenhouse Gas web resource is also available online HERE.
Breast cancer awareness month 2024 began on Tuesday, October 1st and will continue until Thursday October 31st next.
All Irish Supermarkets, over the past two years, have significantly increased their retail prices on many items and yes, to my thinking, both breast cancer and Supermarket products are both inextricably linked, presently leaving both impossible to disentangle or separate.
My focus here in Thurles today was attracted to a product offered in plastic wrapping, containing 5Bockwurst Sausages, (asking price €4.29). The product is manufactured by the German firm Dulano, latter who claim ‘Farm to fork” traceability.
Bockwurst is a German sausage traditionally made from ground pork or veal, but tending more towards veal. Bockwurst is flavoured with salt, white pepper and paprika. Other herbs, such as marjoram, chives and parsley, are also often added and in Germany, Bockwurst is often smoked as well.
Nowadays, it can be purchased all year round almost everywhere in Germany, in butcher’s shops, cheaper restaurants, snack bars, food booths, some bakeries and even gas stations. Here in Thurles Co. Tipperary it can be purchased from the German International discount retailer chain Lidl, same which operate over 12,000 stores within the European Union.
Yuka Application: View HERE Using the 100% independent, free ‘Yuka App’, which it is now imperative for everyone shopping in supermarkets to download to their smart phones, (because of its welcome ability to decipher product labels, while analysing the health impact of most food products and cosmetics, via their barcode,) we are disappointed and alarmed to learn the following information:-
On the ‘Yuka App’, the Bockwurst Sausages product is declared ‘BAD’, and is rated at 0 out of 100, because of two hazardous additives, plus containing two much fat, and two much sodium.
The two hazardous preservatives are identified as being (1)Sodium Nitrite, (2)Diphosphates,
(1) Sodium Nitrite: Sodium nitration is hazardous and when combined with certain foods, nitrites may contribute to the development of nitrosamines, compounds classified by the international agency for research on cancer (IARC) as “probably carcinogenic to humans”. In 2022 the French agency for food environmental and occupational health and safety (ANSES) confirmed the carcinogenic and genotoxic effects of these compounds and recommended limiting the use of nitrate/nitrite additions in food products.
(2) Diphosphates:(Texturizing agent). Phosphate contains phosphorus a chemical element that is essential to the body. However excess phosphorus can disrupt bone mineralization; damage the kidneys, and increased the risk of cardiovascular disease and breast cancer the (EFSA) European food safety has indicated that phosphorus consumption exceeds the safe level of intake for part of the population.
This is just one of many products to be found in each of our Thurles supermarkets, placed there with no regard for consumers health; and retailed solely to generate massive profits.
We wonder why cancer is rapidly increasing and why our Irish hospitals are continuously overcrowded!The answer is most likely to be found in the food products located on our supermarket shelves, ignored by a VAT greedy government.
Having had only limited experience myself, I base the above headline on the advice handed out by Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer poet and Anglican cleric, the late Dean Jonathan Swift(1667-1745), who once wrote:-.
“There is in every cook’s opinion, No savoury dish without an onion; But less you’re kissing should be spoiled, The onion must be thoroughly boiled.”
A recipe for boiled onions gathered from the era of Dean Jonathan Swift. These onions should be cooked ‘country style’, as they were when large ovens where kept on the go all day and night. Same are very good when eaten with chops or steaks or with potato oaten cakes; known in the Irish countryside as ‘pratie oaten’.
Method.
One large onion per person with a little water. Place the onions in a baking tin, unpeeled, with about 1 inch of water, no more. Bake in a slow to moderate oven to 250° f. – 275° f. Electric; gas regulo 1 – 2 for 1 and 1⁄2 to 2 hours or until they are soft when squeezed.
To eat, the brown skin is then pulled back and cut off as the root and the onion is eaten with pepper, salt and a pat of butter. Latter cooking method is one of the most delicious ways of serving onions.
Pratie Oaten.
2 cups warm mashed potatoes. 1 cup fine oatmeal. ½ cup melted butter. Salt.
Work enough fine oatmeal, butter and a little salt into the mashed potato to form a dough until fairly soft. Scatter plenty of oatmeal on a board and roll out the dough substance. Cut into small shapes and either cook on both sides on a hot greased griddle in the oven, or fry in a little bacon fat, on top of the stove. Serve hot.
These are very good for breakfast, with bacon, eggs and sausages. The above completed shapes should serve approximately 12 persons.
Kissing.
As for this kissing lark, passionate kisses have known health benefits; releasing calming brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that reduce stress levels and soothe the mind. Exposure to germs that inhabit your partner’s mouth helps strengthens your immune system, so just get on with it.
Ms Maura Barrett, (Cashel Library) reports on two upcoming events:-
Event No.1
Following on from the wonderful Cashel, “Our Playground” project with Cashel Arts Festival this year, Cashel Library will screen the documentary by Mark Fitzell in the Library building, on tomorrow morning, Saturday October 12th, beginning at 11:00am until 12:15pm.
So, please do drop in and take a trip down memory lane, while enjoying a ‘cuppa’ with the liberary tomorrow morning.
Event No. 2
Cashel Library will host a talk entitled “Harry Gleeson and the Criminal Procedures – was Harry a saint?” by Eddie Dalton, on Tuesday evening, October 29th at 6:30pm.
Eighty-three years after he was wrongfully executed for murder, the remains of Harry Gleeson were laid to rest in his native village of Holycross, this summer, to the accompaniment of music from his own fiddle. He was granted a posthumous pardon by the Irish State in 2015, having always protested his innocence.
You canlocate the Cashel Library building, situated on Friar Street, Lady’s Well, Cashel, Co. Tipperary, HERE. (G487+RX) Note: Booking for this FREE event is essential please to Tel: 062-63825.
UPDATE OCTOBER 16th:The “Harry Gleeson and the Criminal Procedures” lecture by Eddie Dalton, due to be held in Cashel Library on Tuesday 29th October at 6:30pm, is now fully booked out, with an existing waiting list, so unfortunately we have reached max capacity for this event.
Two decades is too long to wait to fix Ireland’s deficient wastewater treatment plants, says EPA.
The number of towns and villages discharging raw sewage every day has reduced from 29 down to 16 since the beginning of 2023.
Wastewater treatment at 10 large towns and cities failed to meet European Union standards set to protect the environment.
Uisce Éireann’s delays in delivering improvements at priority areas, where wastewater is adversely impacting rivers and coastal waters are prolonging risks to water quality.
Wastewater discharged from over half of treatment plants did not always meet the licence standards set to prevent pollution.
The EPA’s Urban Wastewater Treatment in 2023 report, released today, highlights progress in wastewater treatment, including a 45% reduction in the number of towns and villages discharging raw sewage, since the start of 2023. Nevertheless, wastewater treatment at many areas is not good enough to prevent wastewater discharges from impacting the quality of rivers, estuaries, lakes and coastal waters. All deficient wastewater works must be brought up to the standards required to protect the environment but, based on Uisce Éireann estimates, this could take over two decades and will require substantial investment. As it is not possible to fix all the problems in the short term, improvements must be prioritised where they are needed most. The EPA has identified 73 priority areas where improvements in wastewater treatment are most urgently needed to protect our environment. Uisce Éireann has not yet started upgrade works at half of these.
Sixteen towns and villages discharging raw sewage in mid-2024.
Launching the report, Dr Tom Ryan, EPA Director said: “Investment has resulted in stopping raw sewage discharges during the past year from 13 towns and villages that were priority areas highlighted by the EPA. This demonstrates that such investment protects our environment and benefits our local communities. The much-needed upgrade of Ireland’s largest treatment plant at Ringsend in Dublin, treating over 40 per cent of all national wastewaters, is now well advanced, and this is to be welcomed. However, wastewater discharges continue to be a significant pressure on water quality in many of our rivers, estuaries, lakes and coastal waters. Without an ambitious and sustained investment programme to build out our wastewater treatment infrastructure it could take over two decades to achieve the required standards to protect the environment. At an operational level, Uisce Éireann’s slow progress in designing and delivering the solutions needed at the waters most affected by wastewater discharges are prolonging impacts on water quality. Uisce Éireann must prioritise the prompt delivery of these essential works.”
The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive sets general European wide treatment standards for large towns and cities. Ten areas, including Dublin, failed these basic standards in 2023. Wastewater discharge licences issued by the EPA to Uisce Éireann may specify more stringent standards than those in the Directive when such standards are necessary to prevent and reduce pollution of waters. Over half of licensed treatment plants discharge wastewater that does not always meet these licence standards.
Noel Byrne, EPA Programme Manager, said:“Wastewater discharge licences issued by the EPA set out the treatment standards needed to prevent pollution by wastewater discharges and protect our rivers and coastal waters. It is unacceptable that over half of licensed treatment plants do not always meet these standards, with issues ranging from short term breaches of treatment standards up to continuous discharges of raw sewage. The short term breaches should be resolved through effective management and maintenance of equipment. Uisce Éireann must address infrastructural deficits at the priority areas highlighted by the EPA during its 2025 to 2029 investment cycle. This will help deliver significant environmental benefits and protect water quality.”
The report includes a range of recommendations for Uisce Éireann, including the need to speed up its overdue assessments of how wastewater discharges impact shellfish waters, and to collect better information about discharges of untreated wastewater through storm water overflows.
Meanwhile, no public update on progress being made in relation to the River Suir in Thurles; promised by the Local Authority Waters Programme, (LAWPRO).
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