The island of Ireland is home to many unique animals, plants, species and habitats. From our globally important wetlands to coastline seabird colonies, we must protect our unique ecosystems.
Ireland’s national landscape boasts many unique species of flora and fauna, as well as special ecosystems and habitats. While the world faces a global biodiversity crisis, Ireland is facing worrying issues of its own:
- One in every five species in Ireland whose status has been assessed is threatened with extinction
- 85% of our protected EU habitats are in either “bad†or “inadequate conditionâ€; 46% are experiencing a decline in conditions
- One-quarter of Ireland’s regularly occurring bird species are in severe decline (meaning they are red-listed), including the corncrake, curlew, grey partridge, and yellowhammer
- More than half of Ireland’s bee species have experienced substantial declines in their numbers since 1980
In light of these statistics, Ireland’s government has launched its 4th National Biodiversity Plan. In this article, we’ll explore the causes of the biodiversity crisis in Ireland, the new Biodiversity plan and its goals for the restoration and preservation of biodiversity in Ireland over the coming years.
Why is there a biodiversity crisis in Ireland?
In recent decades, human activity has caused a sharp decline in biodiversity around the world. Populations of wild animal species have declined almost 70% since 1970 and just 3% of global land ecosystems remain intact. A study by the Royal Botanic Gardens found that almost 40% of the world’s plants.
In Ireland, drivers of our national biodiversity crisis include:
- Over the last 30 years, agricultural intensification has led to increased removal of hedgerows and scrub, drainage of wetlands, and the loss of species-rich grasslands. Farmland birds have suffered serious declines.
- Before 30 years ago, over several hundred years, large areas of native woodland and wetland were cleared for farming
- Exploitation of peatlands has removed 99% of Ireland’s original raised bogs. Industrial peat mining or electricity, household fuel and horticulture have had the biggest impact. Private turf-cutting, along with afforestation, burning and overgrazing, have also driven declines
- Afforestation with fast-growing exotic conifers in inappropriate locations has removed peatland habitats, degraded waterways and driven declines in upland bird species
- While many types of development are now subject to environmental assessment, suburban expansion and one-off housing still damage ecosystems and fragment habitats
- Overfishing and bottom-dredging by boats have contributed to marine degradation. By-catch of protected species and nutrient enrichment from farming and aquaculture have also damaged our coastal waters
- The health of rivers, lakes and estuaries in Ireland continues to deteriorate due to water pollution. Agricultural runoff, land drainage and dredging, forestry, and discharges from urban wastewater are the main causes
- Trade and human movement have brought invasive species such as the zebra mussel, Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and Rhodendenron pontincum to Ireland. These spread rapidly and damage our native ecosystems
With all the above in mind, Ireland’s new National Biodiversity plan has never been so critical.
Why Ireland’s 4th National Biodiversity Plan is different?
Ireland’s newest Biodiversity Plan is significant in that it has legislative underpinning, differentiating it from preceding plans. This means that the plan creates legislative obligations for all public bodies to produce local biodiversity action plans under the Wildlife Amendment Act 2023.
The Plan outlines six objectives that together will support the goal of Ireland’s biodiversity vision by 2050. Each Objective contains a series of outcomes that describe the biodiversity impact that will occur if the actions are achieved.
What are Ireland’s new biodiversity goals?
The new National Biodiversity Plan details six critical objectives for Ireland to meet in the coming years.
1. Adopt a whole of government, whole of society approach to biodiversity
This objective “promotes a whole of government, whole of society approach to biodiversity in line with the ambitions of UN Convention on Biological Diversity.â€
The plan recognises the invaluable nature of Ireland’s biodiversity and endeavours to put biodiversity at the heart of our governmental, social and economic sectors. This will require “all government departments and agencies, local government, the private sector and civil society to commit to action informed by a strong understanding of the importance of biodiversity.â€
2. Meet urgent conservation and restoration needs
The main goal of this objective is to urgently tackle Ireland’s most pressing habitat conservation and restoration needs. This includes freshwater, marine, forestry and agricultural ecosystems. This objective also includes tackling invasive species that pose threats to our indigenous flora and fauna.
Under the EU Biodiversity Strategy, significant targets are being put in place to ensure goals are met by 2030 and these will contribute to Ireland’s conservation targets.
3. Secure nature’s contribution to people
The goal of this objective is to recognise the value of natural services to everyday life in Ireland and put plans in place to secure their future. Special emphasis will be placed on natural services that support “physical health and mental wellbeing, tourism, heritage, spiritual and religious connections, knowledge and learning, and language.â€
With this in mind, the plan will expand to cover development plans ensuring they are sustainable and nature-positive. This may include covering biodiversity in all new development applications and plans, for example.
4. Embed biodiversity at the heart of climate action
This objective aims to highlight the importance of biodiversity when taking climate action. This link is enshrined in Irish law “through the National Climate Objective that commits to pursue and achieve no later than 2050, the transition to a climate resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy.â€
The objective also recognises that some climate advancement can affect biodiversity i.e. new wind farms, for example. The plan promotes an integrated approach that seeks to consider climate action and biodiversity as one entity.
5. Enhance the evidence base for action on biodiversity
This objective aims to “enhance the evidence base for action on biodiversity, which will underpin and strengthen future decisions relating to biodiversity.â€
This means that the plan allows for resource provision for the essential scientific and on-the-ground communities that are committed to ongoing research in the area of biodiversity and conservation. Other focus areas will include the measurement and monitoring of biodiversity decline and/or uplift.
6. Strengthen Ireland’s contribution to international biodiversity initiatives
This objective “aims to strengthen Ireland’s contribution to international biodiversity initiatives.†This will mean taking full advantage of existing cross-border biodiversity-related bodies and will include collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
Collaboration with other nations will also play a key role in realising this objective.
A bright future for Irish biodiversity
Ireland’s National Biodiversity Plan 2023-2027 marks a pivotal step towards fostering a sustainable and resilient plan for protecting biodiversity.
With its comprehensive strategies, collaborative approach, commitment to conservation, and underpinnings in legislation, the plan not only addresses the urgent need to protect biodiversity but also lays the groundwork for a nature-positive and climate-neutral Ireland.
As Ireland adopts this plan, all stakeholders must commit to working together to safeguard the rich biodiversity that defines Ireland. By embracing the principles of conservation, stewardship, and ecosystem preservation, Ireland can lead by example in the global effort to preserve our planet’s biodiversity.
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