The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has warned that progress, economic prosperity, and health are all threatened unless Ireland increases the scale, pace, and ambition of environmental action.
The EPA said that for too long Ireland has merely aimed to "get by", aspiring to only minimum environmental standards and that in many instances, those standards are not reached.
This State of the Environment report is the most comprehensive environmental assessment published by the EPA every four years.
The report said that although progress has been made, Ireland's environmental actions are not enough to deliver a healthy environment and is continuously playing catch-up.
It is calling for a national policy position on the environment and a rapid and resolute advance in environmental performance.
For instance, reliance on landfill dumps has reduced dramatically, but Ireland is generating and exporting too much waste.
Air quality in the country's cities has improved, but we have increasing evidence that even a low level of air pollution impacts on health.
Serious pollution in many rivers and lakes has been addressed, but many of Ireland's best water bodies have lost their pristine status, and widespread water pollution remains from too many nutrients.
The EPA is calling for a strategic leap, a shared vision for how people will adapt their lives and work to protect their own existence within the next decade, and a national policy statement on the environment that articulates and drives this transition.
EPA Director General Laura Burke said while progress has been made, more attention is needed.
"While where we are right now is better, it is nowhere near good enough. We are always playing catch-up. We are taking positive actions across multiple fronts, but they are not keeping pace with the growing pressures, and our environment is being squeezed. We need to make a fundamental shift".
The key to that fundamental shift, according to the report, is the establishment of a national policy position on the environment, that allows for long-term planning and would ensure that the environment is prioritised consistently across decades.
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The transformation to a less wasteful, regenerative society will not be easy as urgent action is required across climate, biodiversity, sustainable consumption and pollution goals.
EPA Director Dr Micheál Lehane said these actions are not negotiable.
"You either change for the environment now or the environment will irrevocably change us and how we live later. We, in Ireland, must do our part in making this sustainable future a reality."
The EPA is calling for existing environmental plans and programmes to be rigorously implemented to achieve the benefits that they were developed to deliver.
The environmental body says there are serious deficits in Ireland’s implementation of the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, Water Framework Directive and Climate Law.
There are currently nine European Court of Justice cases, and 16 infringements open against Ireland for failures in implementing EU environmental legislation.
The report has said existing plans and programmes already in place, if fully implemented, would go a long way towards resolving persistent environmental issues.
It says local authorities are failing to deliver required environmental outcomes such as improved water and air quality, reduced noise exposure and improved circularity in the management of our resources.
One critical issue local authorities need to address is the continuation of illegal industrial scale peat extraction which is leading to uncontrolled destruction of the natural environment.
Another highlight from the report is a call for a transformation of our energy, transport, food, and industrial sectors which is critical to achieving a sustainable future.
Protecting the environment is key to protecting our health, with the EPA report calling for action to reduce the modifiable risks to our health from environmental exposures.
Addressing risks by reducing pollution, adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts, and restoring ecosystems would enable people to be healthier and live longer according to the report.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms Burke said that while there has been "positive action on multiple fronts" Ireland is no where near where it should be.
"In the context of climate, there's been concerted action and we are seeing progress. We saw last year that our emissions were the lowest in 30 years which was positive, but still not going to meet our EU targets," she said.
"But when you look at other areas, our urban wastewater treatment for example, we're still not compliant with an EU directive that's 30 years old. That's just not good enough. Our ammonium emissions to air are still not compliant.
"So what I would say is, overall it really isn't where it should be. We're not compliant with EU directives and the reason for them is not just targets - they are to protect our health and wellbeing. They're to make sure that we can live healthy lives."
Ms Burke said they are seeing a greater awareness and more positive action at a local and community level.
"People are really interested and are really engaged. The issue for us is that speed up, scale up and investment in a transformation of the sectors," she explained.
"But it isn't one or the other. They both need to go hand in hand and when you look at Ireland and our dependence of our economy on agriculture and tourism, then we need to make sure that we're protecting the asset that those sectors rely on, and that's the environment."
