The Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss will hold an additional meeting this weekend to discuss its final recommendations.
Members of the assembly will debate approximately 60 sector-specific recommendations including on agriculture, peatlands and forestry, ahead of a final online vote.
Over 100 recommendations in total to improve environmental protection and address biodiversity loss in Ireland will be discussed at the Grand Hotel in Malahide this Saturday (January 21).
The “world’s first” Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss previously called for a referendum of the people to amend the Constitution with a view to protecting biodiversity.
Members of the assembly sought an extension from the Houses of Oireachtas to debate and vote on recommendations including agriculture; marine and coastal environments; invasive species; and urban and built environments.
All proceedings will be available to view live on the citizens’ assembly’s website. The draft running order for the meeting is as follows:
Time What’s happening 9:00a.m Introduction by the chairperson, Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin 9:05a.m Roundtable discussion (continued) – doc A and document B, part 1 (agriculture, freshwater, marine/coastal) 10:15a.m Plenary session – doc A and document B, part 1 (agriculture, freshwater, marine/coastal) 11:30a.m Break 11:45a.m Roundtable discussion – document B, part 2 (peatlands, protected sites and species, forestry, invasive species, funding, urban/built, funding, accountability, industry, business and tourism, education) 1:00p.m Lunch 2:00p.m Plenary session – document B, part 2 peatlands, protected sites and species, forestry, invasive species, funding, urban/built, funding, accountability, industry, business and tourism, education) 3:15p.m Roundtable discussion – final wrap-up 3:30p.m Coffee 3:45p.m Plenary session – final wrap-up 4:30p.m Completion of evaluation forms 4:45p.m The last word – voices of the assembly 5:15p.m Chairperson’s conclusion
Following the meeting, the assembly will vote on the recommendations online before a final report is prepared and presented back to the Oireachtas in the coming weeks.
Under chair Dr. Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, 99 randomly selected members of the public heard from over 80 different speakers and received 650 submissions from across Ireland and internationally.