EnvironmentAnalysis

Biodiversity action plan Q&A: How bad is Irish nature loss and can we turn the tide?

Every species category of Irish native plant and animal is under threat, and too many of our freshwater bodies are tainted by pollution

Some 85 per cent of our most precious habitats have an unfavourable status. Almost half are demonstrating ongoing declines, particularly in marine, peatland, grassland and woodland habitats, with only 2 per cent improving over a 12-year period. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Kevin O'Sullivan's face
Kevin O'Sullivan
Thu Jan 25 2024 - 00:01

A new biodiversity action plan for Ireland, which for the first time is backed by statutory powers, is being published on Thursday.

Every species category of Irish native plant and animal is under threat due to human activities and a warming planet, which is true also for globally important habitats and ecosystems, while too many of our rivers, lakes and estuaries are tainted by pollution.

How bad is Irish nature loss?

The fourth national biodiversity action plan (NBAP) coincides with Irish nature never having been under so much pressure, and it details the evidence for this. Some 85 per cent of our most precious habitats have an unfavourable status. Almost half are demonstrating ongoing declines, particularly in marine, peatland, grassland and woodland habitats, with only 2 per cent improving over a 12-year period.

Why has there been such a decline?

The indicators suggest a cavalier approach is catching up on us, despite nature’s critical importance in providing oxygen, clean water, soil, trees, peatlands, woodlands, a stable climate and food – and not forgetting it’s a recreational resource that contributes to mental and physical wellbeing.

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There are multiple reasons for this, but a recent report by the National Economic & Social Council (NESC) identifies a fundamental problem: how invisible nature is in policy decision-making. We take for granted that our lives depend on nature.

Are there indications this can be turned around?

There are positive signs suggesting nature loss can be reversed, while a lot depends on scaling up of actions on the ground. There is an impressive alliance of people at community level – NGOs and local authorities working impressively on protection and restoration of habitats and wildlife.

[ Forestry: The strong case for moving away from monoculture ]

A wide range of initiatives, projects and funding streams are finally delivering positive change for habitats and species, with strong emphasis on collaboration with landowners and communities. These include new programmes focusing on conservation of protected areas; protection and restoration projects in national parks; species and habitat-focused initiatives; incentives for more nature-friendly farming and forestry, and roll-out of a local authority biodiversity officer programme to support community-level conservation.

Tangible progress is already being made, for instance, in restoring vast areas of peatlands in the midlands, and there has been a 35 per cent increase in the corncrake population over the past five years.

Secondly, the NBAP comes with enforceability, which can compel public bodies to take action. Clearly, there is an onus on local authorities to go beyond putting flower beds in place and planting a few trees.

[ Nature therapy: How to get your ‘daily dose of trees’ to boost body and mind ]

The bigger picture is the new EU nature restoration regulation, which will set legally binding targets to restore degraded ecosystems, particularly those with most potential to capture and store carbon, and to prevent and reduce the impact of natural disasters. It will require a national nature restoration plan to complement the NBAP.

How do you verify progress?

The NBAP places big emphasis on accountability and timed actions, saying it will deliver on obligations to conserve the most precious habitats and species, to strategically target efforts on invasive species, to increase collaboration on nature-friendly farming and to review nature governance across the State.

[ The biodiversity hiding in plain sight ]

NESC highlights the need for a key internationally used tool: natural capital accounting. In short, this integrates environmental data into the system of national accounts for economic activity. It can help Ireland to better account for nature and be an important part of the solution to working more closely with nature.

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