In line with the OEP’s brief, the objectives of this research are: (1) To enable the OEP to reach an informed and evidence-based position on the drivers and pressures affecting terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity across Northern Ireland; (2) To enable the OEP to reach an informed and evidence-based position on the pressures created by urban and rural development impacting terrestrial and fresh. [...] As is discussed in the report, there appears to be a shortage of systematic evidence that robustly highlights the impacts of development on the biodiversity of Northern Ireland, over the long, medium and short term. [...] For each category of development, there is a range of evidence of the level of development and while in some cases information on the broad spatial distribution may exist, it is more difficult to establish long-term development patterns, pressures in relation to specific locations, and the impact on specific species and habitats. [...] 23 Other development pressures While the three development pressures discussed above are likely to be most significant in relation to biodiversity impacts in Northern Ireland, there are other economic sectors that rely on physical development and land take, and this potentially result in environmental impacts, and some of the evidence on the trends and scope of these are discussed in this section. [...] The decarbonisation of the energy system, and the targets under the NI Climate Change Act 2022 requires a shift to renewable forms of energy generation, and thus the development of renewable energy projects, with wind turbines being the cheapest form of energy generation, but which normally requires rural locations.
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Table of Contents
- This report can be cited as 2
- Ellis G. Slevin A. and Emmerson M. 2024 Biodiversity Impacts of Development Pressures in Northern Ireland Evidence Review for Office of Environmental Protection QUB Belfast. Available at 2
- 1. Introduction 4
- 2. Definitional issues 4
- 3. Research Design and Search Strategy 4
- 4. Systematic Review of Drivers and Pressures on Biodiversity in Northern Ireland 4
- 5. Other Evidence of Development Pressures 4
- 6. Reflections and Limitations 4
- 7. Recommendations 4
- 8. Conclusion 4
- References 4
- Appendix 1 Search Terms used in Systematic Review 4
- Appendix 2 Identified Evidence 4
- Error Bookmark not defined. Error Bookmark not defined. 5
- 1. Introduction 6
- 2. Definitional issues 7
- 3. Research Design and Search Strategy 8
- 4. Systematic Review of Drivers and Pressures on Biodiversity in Northern 12
- Ireland 12
- 5. Other Evidence of Development Pressures 16
- Land Use Change Residential development 19
- Land Use Change Agricultural development and intensification 21
- Resource Use Mining and Extraction 23
- Other development pressures 24
- 6. Reflections and Limitations 27
- 7. Recommendations 30
- 8. Conclusion 32
- References 33
- Appendix 1 Search Terms used in Systematic Review 47
- Appendix 2 Identified Evidence 56
