Eco Eye

Islands of Ireland, Carbon Sequestration, Northern Ireland environment overview (5x2)

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Islands of Ireland Duncan takes a walk on the wild side when he takes the ferry to Clare Island to discover what lures people to the islands year after year. Raw beauty, rich heritage and wildlife fill the unspoilt landscape. Duncan goes island hopping and lands next at Inis Mor to see how the islands have managed to make tourism on their island sustainable for the future. Duncan proves that you don't have to travel thousands of miles to have a good holiday, and that tourism doesn't have to be at odds with the environment, but in fact can help improve and sustain a good environment. Carbon Sequestration Ireland has a long way to go to meet our Kyoto commitments by 2008 and forestry has huge potential to play a vital role in reducing CO2 emissions. Forests can absorb, store and reduce CO2 in the air. Duncan talks to the experts of COFORD's research project, 'Carbifor' who have researched just how much CO2 wood can store indefinitely. Not only is forestry a benefit in reducing CO2, but also when compared to materials like concrete, metals and plastics wood is completely carbon neutral, whereas other materials add to CO2 emissions. For example even when we burn wood, it only releases the CO2 that it previously absorbed from the environment and stored. Northern Ireland overview Ireland's environment knows no borders, and so when we look environmental issues we have to look at the whole of Ireland. Duncan goes up North for the first time in this series, to look at how Northern Ireland's environment is currently managed and their plans for the future. He looks at specific important cross-border issues like shared waters and waste, and talks to the people who keep Northern Ireland's environment clean and green.