Press release
Minister Noonan welcomes progress on Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
• Assembly will consider the issue of biodiversity loss in Ireland
• Recommendations will inform national policy on biodiversity
• A complementary Young People’s Assembly will ensure youth voices are heard
The Government’s decision to progress a Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity has been welcomed by Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD. An Taoiseach Micheal Martin has today (3 March, 2022) issued 34,000 exclusive invitations to individuals to participate in two new assemblies one of which is on Biodiversity Loss.
The timing of the Assembly is especially relevant, given the major international focus in 2022 on biodiversity through the upcoming COP15 of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity and the development of an ambitious new global framework to ramp up efforts to tackle the biodiversity crisis.
In addition, Ireland’s domestic policy framework, its vision for nature, will be set out in the next National Biodiversity Action Plan, which is due to be published later this year. This new Plan will build on the work already undertaken and the measures in place from previous plans.
“2022 will be a big year for nature and it’s vital that the public are at the heart of it,” Minister Noonan said. “Citizens’ Assemblies have often led the way on complex issues, showing that people can sometimes be well ahead of politicians in terms of their ambition and appetite for change. I’m hopeful that this focus will help set Ireland on the path to nature recovery and allow us to be an example on the global stage of positive action for biodiversity.”
Biodiversity describes the variety of life on earth, including the diversity of ecosystems, species and genetics, and it’s fundamental to our existence. Healthy biodiversity stabilises the climate, produces oxygen, purifies water and makes soils fertile for growing crops. An increasingly robust body of evidence has found that this ‘web of life’ is unravelling due to a range of pressures including agriculture, forestry, invasive alien species and climate change, with potentially serious consequences for societies and economies.
This is also true in Ireland, where a 2019 report found that 85% of protected habitats were in unfavourable condition and 14% of assessed species are thought to be endangered. The number of plants, insects, mammals and birds that are threatened or endangered is growing year-on-year.
Minister Noonan said,
“Funding was awarded this year to a number of initiatives which will be progressed in order to tackle these challenges, including the Local Biodiversity Action Fund which supports actions for biodiversity in local areas and is a crucial element of our strategy in involving communities in improvements to biodiversity. Funding was awarded to all 31 local authorities in 2021 and I am delighted to have been able to increase this to €1.5m in 2022.”
While efforts need to be scaled up to tackle the drivers of biodiversity loss, Minister Noonan also pointed to the very real need for restoration of habitats.
Ireland is rehabilitating over 33,000 hectares of post-industrial cutaway bog as part of an Enhanced Decommissioning Restoration and Rehabilitation Scheme, following the cessation of large scale harvesting for electricity generation. This scale of this scheme, funded by the European National Resilience and Recovery fund, is of European significance.
Ireland is also restoring much of the raised bog habitat designated as Special Areas of Conservation under the Habitats Directive and those protected under national legislation. “The results to date of this work are very positive and are stimulating new peatland management projects,” the Minister stated.
With these, and other measures, happening, Minister Noonan feels the timing is opportune.
“We have a real opportunity now to bring all of society and all of Government together to address the biodiversity emergency and I’m committed to working with my colleagues to deliver that leadership. The recovery of nature is as important for our future as climate action. It’s imperative that young people have a say in the decisions we make. That’s why I’m also progressing the development of a Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity, which I hope will ensure an intergenerational dialogue with the main Citizens’ Assembly, and support the reflection of young people’s voices in national biodiversity policy.”
The Minister also highlighted the role of his Department’s National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
“The NPWS is the lead authority for biodiversity policy nationally and will engage fully with the CBD COP15 process this year including preparatory technical, scientific and implementation groups; working with colleagues from the EU and other Member States to agree and present a strong and coherent voice for nature at international meetings, including COP15.”
He also noted the role of the NPWS in leading on the development and publication of the National Biodiversity Action Plan for an agreed whole of Government framework for action on biodiversity.
“The NPWS has a wide remit, in terms of policy, scientific support and implementation, for nature and biodiversity. In this role, it will support and listen to the Assembly on Biodiversity, including of course the Young People’s Assembly.”
Notes to the Editor:
The National Parks and Wildlife Service ( NPWS ), part of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is the lead authority for biodiversity in Ireland. The NPWS remit is broad and cuts across many vital areas of work. Its remit includes conservation of a representative range of Irish ecosystems; to maintain and enhance populations of flora and fauna in Ireland; to designate and advise on the protection of habitats and species identified for nature conservation; to implement national and EU legislation and policies for nature conservation and biodiversity and to meet Ireland’s international obligations under a range of conventions and agreements; to manage, maintain and develop State-owned National Parks and Nature Reserves; and to promote awareness of natural heritage and biodiversity issues.
The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity is generally shortened to CBD.
COP15 refers to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, due to be held later this year in Kunming, China.
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage Press Office
Tel: (01) 888 2638 (direct)
Email: press@housing.gov.ie
Website: gov.ie/housing
Twitter: @DeptHousingIRL