The chair of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, has called on legislators to create new laws and national policy to transform Ireland’s relationship with nature.
Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin was addressing an information meeting for Oireachtas members and staff in Leinster House this morning (Wednesday, June 28).
She provided an overview of the assembly’s final report which contains 73 high-level recommendations for government and 86 sectoral-specific actions and priorities.
Biodiversity
Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin noted that the assembly was “fully representative of modern Ireland”, including people from rural and urban communities, farmers, professionals, students and older people.
She paid tribute to the work of the 99 members of the group who spent almost one year deliberating the issues.
However, she said that this time and effort will only be worthwhile if it is followed by real change.
The final report also highlighted the state’s failure to adequately address biodiversity loss, particularly in relation to the lack of enforcement of its own existing laws and policies.
Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin said that there is no excuse for existing legislation to remain unimplemented or unenforced, given the scale of biodiversity loss that confronts us.
“The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss worked tirelessly for almost a year to produce this comprehensive report,” she said.
“Members listened to 87 experts, received over 600 public submissions, participated in seven full weekend meetings, undertook field trips, and thoroughly debated and discussed all the complex issues that are at the core of biodiversity loss.
“Many of them took it upon themselves to make simple, positive changes in how they interact with the natural environment as a direct result of what we considered including looking after their gardens, managing their farms, or taking action in their local communities,” Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin said.
“Government and Oireachtas members are the only ones with the capacity to take the necessary action, change national laws, and enforce current laws and regulations to protect biodiversity and the natural environment.
“The state must lead. Ireland has an established international reputation for listening to its citizens through the assembly process model,” she added.
“This has been done before on other areas and we now have an opportunity to do likewise, given this was the first Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss anywhere in the world.
“That is something we should be proud of, but it will be meaningless if it does not deliver real change. The work of the assembly might be done, but our job is not complete until we start to see these recommendations take effect,” she said.
Since the assembly concluded its work and issued its final report earlier this year, Dr. Ní Shúilleabháin has briefed the Taoiseach on its recommendations and has also addressed the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York.
She is due to formally brief the Oireachtas Committee on Environment and Climate Action in the autumn.