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Delivering Access to Environmental Information:
Challenges & Opportunities
Áine Ryall
EPA Water Event, Galway, 13 June 2013
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Back to Basics
Why is access to environmental information so important?
How best to engage the public in protecting water quality?
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Back to Basics
What are the best means of delivering access to environmental information?
The public/NGOs = a very diverse body of “tough critics” – and rightly so!
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Public attitudes to information on drinking water quality?
Is there a strong demand for info on drinking water quality?
Who is looking for this info?
Will the demand/public expectation increase when water charges are introduced?
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Legal Framework
Aarhus Convention
↓
EU environmental law
↓
Set of International &EU law standards
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Legal Framework
Aarhus Convention
Dir 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information
AIE Regs 2007 to 2011
And, of course, specific water legislation at EU & national level
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Rationale behind the right of access to environmental information?
Aarhus Convention
- Rights & duties
- Justifications for Aarhus rights
- Public authorities hold environmental information in the public interest
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Dir 2003/4/EC
Guarantees a right of access to environmental information held by, or for, public authorities (Article 3(1))
Right is subject to certain exceptions (Article 4)
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Dir 2003/4/EC
Dissemination of environmental information (Article 7)
Speaks of “active and systematic dissemination” of environmental information to the public
Strong emphasis on ICT and electronic databases
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Dir 2003/4/EC
Quality of environmental information(Article 8)
Speaks of “up to date, accurate and comparable” information
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AIE Regulations 2007 to 2011
Based on Dir 2003/4/EC
Commissioner for Environmental Information
General duties of public authorities
New Guidance Notes on AIE Regs (May 2013)
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Case study: info on water quality
A member of the public’s perspective & experience with two random scenarios:
- Drinking water quality info for Cork City
- Bathing water quality info for Castlegregory Co Kerry
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Case study: info on water quality
What is a (non-expert/lay) member of the public looking for in terms of water quality info?
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Public expectations?
Information – as opposed to raw data - that is:
- Up to date (how do you define this?)
- Accurate/complete
- Easily accessible - preferably online & free of charge
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Public expectations?
- Understandable/user-friendly
- Comparable with other relevant data sets
- Reliable/independently verified
- Oversight of compilation/verification etc
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Drinking water quality info – Cork City
Cork City Council website
EPA website
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Cork City Council – www.corkcity.ie
Home page – link - ‘Drinking Water Quality’
With links to:
2013 Results – Test results - Quarter 12012 Results2011 Results
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Cork City Council – www.corkcity.ie
Additional info for 2011:
- Non-compliances in 2011
- Summary of public water supply quality in 2011
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EPA website – www.epa.ie
Cork City Council – Drinking water quality
Water – Drinking Water
EPA Report, The Provision & Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland 2011 (2012)
Drinking Water Audits
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EPA website – www.epa.ie
Online Drinking Water Notification System for Water Services Authorities
Username and password required to log notification of exceedances of parametric values
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EPA website – www.epa.ie
EPA Remedial Action List (RAL)Quarter 1 – 2013
Cork City Water Supply is listed on the RAL
What does this mean to a member of the public?
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Levels of compliance with Circular Letter WSP 6/09
Ministerial Circular on the Publication of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Results
Referenced in EPA Annual Reports on Drinking Water Quality – e.g. 2011 & 2010
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Bathing water quality info - Castlegregory
Kerry County Council – www.kerrycoco.ie
Beaches – Beach Water Quality
Up to 21 beaches monitored in Kerry during the season - June 1- Sept 15
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Bathing water quality info - Castlegregory
2013 Results Castlegregory data (dated 22.5.13)
Also – Splash – EPA online bathing water system
EPA, The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland 2012
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European Environment Agency - EEA
State of bathing waters portal
http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/bathing/state-of-bathing-waters
Multi-media presentation - ‘Share your information on bathing water’
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Challenges & Opportunities?
Challenges:
To deliver useful, relevant & up to date information on water quality to the public
Proactive delivery of information & ongoing engagement with the public
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Challenges & Opportunities?
Demonstrate leadership & innovation
Meet/exceed public expectations
Thinking outside the box
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Future directions?
Information and awareness about environmental rights & obligations
Greater public engagement on water quality issues
Role of the media?
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Future directions?
Political will to deliver on environmental rights?
Resources to support environmental rights? – active dissemination of environmental information
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Future directions?
Champion the right of access to environmental justice → enforcement of environmental rights
Role of social media in terms of promoting public engagement