The opening of registrations for the National Biodiversity Conference, titled ‘New Horizons for Nature’, has been announced today (Monday, 19 November).

The announcement was made by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan.

This two day event is organised by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Irish Forum on Natural Capital. The event will be held in Dublin Castle on February 20 and 21 next year.

Commenting on the event, Minister Madigan said: “This important two-day event will see artists, businesses, economists, musicians and farmers join conservationists and scientists to seek answers to the question of how best we can work together to conserve biodiversity.”

Losing biodiversity

Madigan stressed: “Globally, we are losing biodiversity at a rate unprecedented in human history. In Ireland, over 90% of our protected habitats are in poor condition, and 14% of species assessed are deemed to be endangered.

The number of plants, insects, mammals and birds that are threatened or endangered is growing year on year.

Echoing the French president Macron, Minister Madigan added: “There is no ‘Planet B’. The biodiversity of this planet is the greatest resource we have and it is up to this generation to move beyond rhetoric and on to action.”

Head of science and biodiversity at the NPWS, Dr. Ciaran O’Keeffe, said: “This matters for people as well as the planet. As the web of life breaks apart, the natural systems that give us food to eat, air to breathe and water to drink are increasingly vulnerable.”

The conference organisers aim to energise implementation of Ireland’s third National Biodiversity Action Plan which is titled ‘Actions for Biodiversity 2017-2021’, and was launched in October 2017.

Through talks, debates, workshops and creative elements, the event aims to raise awareness of the plan and explore some of its key aspects. More information about the conference can be found here.