4.11.1 Introduction

4.11.1 Introduction

The SEA has considered, where relevant and / or appropriate, potential transboundary effects

relating to the NCN Plan in Northern Ireland.

The second State of the Environment Report for Northern Ireland (2013) - From Evidence to

Opportunity provides a five-year update and commentary on various indicators across a

number of themes to provide an evidence-based assessment of the state of the environment.

The Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report (May 2022)75 provides an annual update

to the figures and provides further information around the trends outlined in the State of the

Environment Report for Northern Ireland.

The geographical area of Northern Ireland totals 14,150 km2, which is approximately 12% of

the land area of the island of Ireland and less than 6% of the UK76. Northern Ireland has a

territorial sea area of 7,189 km2. Both the land and marine environments contain a wide variety

and diversity of natural and historic features which influence human activities and

opportunities77.

Air quality continues to improve, water quality has benefitted substantially from improved

effluent controls, however in other areas, such as reversing the decline in biodiversity and

meeting key objectives for landscapes, habitats for example, significant challenges remain78.

The key issues relating to the NCN Plan are similar to those outlined under each theme in the

previous sections but are primarily related to the environment in Northern Ireland in close

proximity to the border. Table 4.3 presents a summary of the baseline environment in Northern

Ireland.

Table 4.3: Northern Ireland Baseline Environment

Baseline Summary7980 SEA Theme

There are 58 SACs, 16 SPAs and 20 Ramsar sites in Northern Ireland. Biodiversity Some designations in the Republic of Ireland, such as Carlingford Lough SPA and Carlingford Shore SAC and Lough Melvin SAC, extend into Northern Ireland and as such present potential for transboundary effects. Given the potential for transboundary impacts to SACs and SPAs in Northern Ireland, these sites are also considered and are listed in the NIS. The total marine protected sites – 21,168 hectares in 2021/22. The total terrestrial protected sites – 34,835 hectares in 2021/22. Figure 5.3 shows the locations of SACs and SPAs located within Ireland and Northern Ireland.

75 DAERA (2022). Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report. 76 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment. 77 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment. 78 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment. 79 DAERA (2022). Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report. 80 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment.

Prepared for: Transport Infrastructure Ireland

SEA of the National Cycle Network Plan SEA Environmental Report (Updated)

Baseline Summary7980 SEA Theme

The latest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) show that in June 2020, the Northern Ireland population was estimated to be 1,895,500. The population increased by 1,800 people or 0.1% between mid-2019 and mid-2020. Over the decade mid-2010 to mid-2020, the population of Northern Ireland increased by a total of 90,700 people with an average year-on-year increase of 0.5%. According to the Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report (DAERA, 2022), the level of public concern about environmental issues was high in 2021/22, with 82% very or fairly concerned about the environment. According to the Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report (DAERA, 2022), illegal dumping of waste and litter was the biggest environmental concern for households in Northern Ireland in 2021/22. According to the Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report (DAERA, 2022), car travel continues to dominate the way we do most of our day-to-day travelling.

Population and Human Health81

The UK Land Cover Map 2007 shows the dominance of improved grassland and freshwater in Northern Ireland. Approximately, 70% of land in Northern Ireland devoted to agricultural activities. In Northern Ireland, diverse parent geology combined with the effects of glaciation and climatic history has created a wide diversity of soils. Northern Ireland has around 111,000 hectares (ha) of forest and woodland (8% of land cover), 52%, is managed by the Forest Service, an executive agency of DARD83. Peat accounts for c. 14% of the soil cover and plays an important role in local land and resource use. Agriculture is one of the cornerstones of the Northern Ireland economy. Northern Ireland is one of the most geologically diverse areas in the world from ancient sediments more than 600 million years old to glaciated valleys formed when ice retreated 14,000 years ago.

Land, Soils and Geology82

In Northern Ireland, the Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 Water84 ensures that the WFD (as transposed) and the various supporting pieces of water legislation continue to operate after 1 January 2021. As with Ireland’s RBMP, Northern Ireland has moved into its third cycle of plan making for 2021-2027. The final RBMP due to be published in 2022. There are 571 waterbodies in Northern Ireland of these 496 are surface waterbodies: including 450 rivers, 21 lakes, and 25 transitional & coastal waterbodies (Marine); the remaining 75 are groundwater bodies. In 2015, 147 (33%) of 450 river waterbodies were classified as good or high overall status. In 2018, 141 (31%) of river waterbodies were classified as good or high overall status. In 2021, no river waterbodies achieved good or high overall status. In 2021, 3 (14%) lakes were classified as good ecological status with 18 lakes (86%) classified as ‘moderate or worse’. Transitional & coastal waterbodies (Marine): In 2015, 1 (4%) waterbody achieved high ecological status and 8 (32%) achieved good ecological status. In 2018, 10 (40%) achieved good ecological status. In 2021, 10 (40%) achieved good ecological status. Lough Neagh at 412 km2 is the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles. The majority of Northern Ireland’s 650km of coastline is protected for its special interest and a number of our coastal species and habitats are recognised as internationally important. Water pollution incidents are investigated by Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).

81 NISRA (2021). 2020 Mid-year Population Estimates for Northern Ireland. 82 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment. 83 Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. 84 NIEA (2021). Water Framework Directive Statistics Report

Prepared for: Transport Infrastructure Ireland AECOM

SEA of the National Cycle Network Plan SEA Environmental Report (Updated)

Baseline Summary7980 SEA Theme

Air quality in Northern Ireland has improved substantially in recent decades. Air Quality85 In particular, concentrations of sulphur dioxide, a pollutant associated with coal and oil combustion, have declined significantly over the past twenty years. However, some pollutants in some parts of Northern Ireland continue to exceed air quality objectives. Ambient air quality in Northern Ireland is regulated by the Air Quality Standards Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 and their subsequent 2016 amendment. There were 21 air quality monitoring stations that operated for all or part of 2021 in Northern Ireland. Each was equipped with continuous monitoring equipment for one or more of the pollutants for which automatic methods are used: CO, NOx, SO2, PM10, PM2.5, O3, and black carbon, and/or a non-automatic sampler for PAH. In 2021 there was no breach of the UK Strategy Objective or EU Limit Values of 40 μg/m3 for the annual mean concentration of particle matter (PM10). Nitrogen oxides (NOx, which includes nitrogen monoxide NO and nitrogen dioxide NO2): from combustion of fuels, most importantly in transport and energy generation. The NOx emitted by road transport, however, poses more of a problem because it leads to increased concentrations of NO2 at ground level in busy streets where people are present.

In Northern Ireland the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions are agriculture, transport, energy supply and residential combustion. In recent years most sectors have decreased except for transport and land use change. The UK Climate Change Act commits the UK to at least an 80% reduction by 2050 (from 1990 levels). Agriculture, transport and energy supply account for around two thirds of the total. Since the base year (1990), Northern Ireland’s total greenhouse gas emissions have decreased by 20% from 24.3 to 19.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e). In 2019, Northern Ireland’s total greenhouse gas emissions accounted for 5% of the UK total, higher than its population share of 3%.

Climate Change8687

Northern Ireland has a rich heritage of archaeological sites, monuments and buildings representing the aspirations and achievements of past societies, providing evidence of settlement, agricultural, industrial and ritual activity from 9,000 years ago to the present day. Northern Ireland’s archaeological resource remains at risk from agricultural land use practices such as ploughing and tree planting and from development in urban areas. Northern Ireland’s built heritage has been affected by population growth and agricultural expansion since the 18th century. The recorded numbers of scheduled monuments and listed buildings have increased since 2001/02 reflecting ongoing survey, designation and assessment. There are upwards of 35,000 historic monuments and sites in Northern Ireland dating from 9,000 years ago to the recent past. In 2020/21, there were a total of 2,012 scheduled historic monuments protected under Article 3 of the Historic Monuments and Archaeological Objects (NI) Order 1995. Buildings that are classified as ‘at risk’ in Northern Ireland are recorded on the online Built Heritage at Risk in Northern Ireland (BHARNI) database. In 2020/21, there were 762 listed buildings and structures on this database. An increase of 142 compared to 2019/20. The Climate Change and Cultural Heritage project identified four main projected changes in our future climate which have the potential to impact on the historic environment: rising temperatures, reduced summer rainfall and higher summer temperatures, increased winter rainfall and more intense summer storms and sea level rises.

Cultural Heritage88

85 DAERA (2020). Air Pollution in Northern Ireland 2020. 86 NIEA (2013). A Second Assessment of the State of Northern Ireland’s Environment. 87 DAERA (2022). Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report. 88 DAERA (2022). Northern Ireland Environmental Statistics Report.

Prepared for: Transport Infrastructure Ireland AECOM

SEA of the National Cycle Network Plan SEA Environmental Report (Updated)

Baseline Summary7980 SEA Theme

The Northern Ireland landscape is the result of human interventions and land use change dating back to the first recorded human settlement some 9,000 years ago. The main pressures on the land in Northern Ireland are development (including housing, industrial and recreational), infrastructure, extraction industries, agriculture and forestry, and tourism. The landscapes of Northern Ireland are renowned for their distinctiveness and are safeguarded with national and local planning policy and designations. Northern Ireland land area of 14,150km2 is only 6% of the UK and 12% of the island of Ireland but Northern Ireland has 130 distinct types of landscape. Northern Ireland has eight Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) designated for their distinctive landscape character and high scenic value. Seascapes are increasingly being recognised as being a key element of the coastal and marine environment.

Landscape and Visual8990