The Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform has signaled his intention to put Ireland’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) on a “statutory footing” this evening (Thursday, December 15) at COP15 in Canada.
Minister Malcolm Noonan delivered a ministerial statement on behalf of the Irish government this evening at the UN Biodiversity Conference COP15 in Montreal.
The minister told delegates at the conference that Ireland is committed to supporting negotiations for “an ambitious global biodiversity framework that will halt and reverse biodiversity”.
COP15 objective
Nearly 200 countries are taking part in COP15 where the key objective is to encourage countries to adopt “an equitable and comprehensive global biodiversity framework matched by the resources needed for implementation”.
COP15 is the biggest biodiversity conference in a decade.
Minister Noonan believes there is a strong commitment in Montreal to achieving a global biodiversity framework and has pledged Ireland’s support for the framework.
Delivering his ministerial statement at COP15 he warned:
“Nature is in peril, the complex web of life on which we all depend, the product of 3.6 billion years of evolution, is deteriorating before our very eyes, and we do not have another decade. We simply don’t.”
The minister told the conference that Ireland had not waited on direction from COP15 to act.
Minister Noonan said: “We have increased funding for our key biodiversity agency by 85% in three years and doubled its staffing resource.
“We have grown our international biodiversity spending to €15
million and are committed to scaling up biodiversity finance further.”
He also outlined that Ireland had “pioneered high nature value farming schemes” that he said rewarded real results for nature and people.
Biodiversity actions
Minister Noonan went to detail the “ecological restoration and rehabilitation of almost 100,000 hectares of raised and blanket bog” that Ireland had undertaken at the High Level Segment of COP15 this evening.
During his address he also shared details of other key biodiversity actions that Ireland has taken with regards to marine protection and the governments plan to engage the private sector.
He outlined the role of the Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss and the Children and Young People’s Assembly as other key actions that the government had committed to.
Minister Noonan told delegates at COP15 that Ireland was currently developing its fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan and would also “engage” with the EU’s nature restoration law and protected area targets.
He announced his intention for the first time to put the National Biodiversity Action Plan on a “statutory footing” next year and delivered a pledge on behalf of the Irish government to COP15 delegates.
“Like many countries, we have a long road yet to travel, but through action, passion and determination across government and society, we will get there”.
Against the backdrop of the negotiations to secure a global biodiversity framework, the minister has stressed that the Irish government is “listening” to farmers.
He said that there was an “open dialogue” with the farming sector and that he would continue to meet with farming bodies to ensure there was a “collaborative approach” to biodiversity challenges.
Meanwhile Minister Noonan has outlined that he not only intends to put the biodiversity action plan on a statutory footing but that he also plans to introduce stronger biodiversity “responsibilities” for public bodies.
A memorandum will be brought to cabinet shortly seeking to restore the Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2016 to the Dáil order paper, this bill will underpin the biodiversity action plan in legislation.
“These proposals will significantly enhance Ireland’s ability to implement biodiversity action across the country,” he said.
“This couldn’t come at a more crucial time. As 196 nations come together to agree an ambitious new set of global goals for nature at COP15, we know that what really matters is what happens on the ground.
“That’s what these new legislative measures are focussing on,” Minister Noonan added.