Sir, – The Government has clearly demonstrated its capacity to move heaven and earth in the face of a threat to our collective wellbeing. As the country now moves beyond pandemic preoccupations, what is to be its response to the arguably greater crisis that faces this island in terms of relentless environmental degradation?
Half of our rivers are polluted with effluent; deforestation of already sparse native woodlands and removal of hedgerows continues apace; a quarter of our bird species are endangered as habitats are lost and insect numbers plummet with overuse of pesticides; carbon emissions continue to rise; single-use plastics proliferate and litter our landscape and seas. The list goes on.
The fact that over 1,000 premature deaths in Ireland are attributed yearly to air pollution clearly demonstrates the interdependence of planetary health and human health.
It is no longer woolly speculation to state that our mental health is inextricably linked with the integrity of the natural world around us and our ability to feel its resonance, as many rediscovered during the pandemic.
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None of these issues are beyond the capacity of our Government to solve, should the political will be found. – Yours, etc,
Dr DAVID O’CONNELL,
Phibsborough,
Dublin 7.