The government has been urged to develop policies that ensure farmers can continue to produce quality food, and that Ireland has “prosperous family farms in the years ahead”, in a new report published today (Friday, December 15).
The report also sets out that the state should “play a leading and supportive role” in the adoption and implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Law, and that “all appropriate steps” should be taken to “significantly improve water quality” in line with the EU Water Framework Directive.
According to the joint committee on Environment and Climate Action – which today published the report on the examination of the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss – there needs to be a new “strategic vision” on biodiversity loss in Ireland.
The committee has made 86 recommendations in the report which it believes are “vital to ensure that the biodiversity crisis in Ireland is addressed in a meaningful way.”
These include that:
- The government begins the preparatory steps to consider a referendum or referenda to protect biodiversity through the incorporation of the rights of nature and the right to a healthy environment into the constitution;
- As a complement to the National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP), the government, should implement a strategic vision for the well-being of the people of Ireland, and the future of rural communities, farmer livelihood, and rural development;
- The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science develops a strategy to support the national and EU ambition on biodiversity, soil, forestry and water;
- A fundamental change in approach to environmental governance across government departments and that implementation and enforcement of existing environmental law be given priority;
- Legislation governing Coillte and Bord na Mona is urgently reviewed and amended to align with national and EU laws and biodiversity objectives.
The committee has also called for a review of current and future taxation and levies with “respect to their impact on biodiversity act” to amend taxation and levies which result in perverse incentives to damage nature.
Farmers
According to the committee’s cathaoirleach, deputy Brian Leddin, it is important that farmers can have an income from both “quality food production and from environmental services” and that both these objectives are “not in conflict”.
He also stressed that farmers and non-farming landowners should be “financially rewarded for the provision of ecosystem services and ecological care and the restoration and protection of nature through “results based payments”.
“The recommendations in this Joint Oireachtas Report represent our conclusions following a careful and thorough consideration of the Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss.
“The committee recommends that all recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report on Biodiversity Loss be examined and considered for implementation by government,” he added.
Additional powers
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) has welcomed the publication of the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action’s Report on the examination of recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly report on biodiversity loss.
IFI provided oral testimony to the committee.
Speaking after the publication of the committee’s report at Dáil Éireann, Inland Fisheries Ireland’s chief executive, Francis O’Donnell, said: “Inland Fisheries Ireland, as a key state environmental agency, is a major stakeholder in protecting and restoring biodiversity in Ireland’s freshwater and coastal waters.
“We want additional powers and resourcing for enforcement officers. And we seek enhanced cross-collaboration between relevant state agencies to better respond to both wildlife and fisheries crime, and pollution incidents.
“Our call for a review of sanctions and penalties associated with breaking environmental laws is also echoed in this report,” O’Donnell added.