Press Release: Expert conference calls for renewed action on biodiversity to safeguard the economy and quality of life
Experts from across the island of Ireland have called for action on biodiversity to safeguard the economy and quality of life. The UK and Ireland have signed up to EU and World targets to halt biodiversity loss by 2020. If progress is slowed because of the economic crisis then the valuable economic, social and cultural benefits that biodiversity provides will also be lost.
Over 80 key people from environmental groups, government departments, business and charities came together last week in Londonderry/Derry to discuss priorities for nature and the environment in Ireland north and south. The conference was organised by the Irish Biodiversity Forum and the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group in response to the new targets set at Nagoya in Japan –as part of the 10th World Convention on Biological Diversity.
The conference was opened by the Northern Ireland Minister for the Environment, Edwin Poots, who took the opportunity to announce that Northern Ireland would revise its Biodiversity Strategy in line with the new targets.
Anne Teller from the Environment Directorate in the EU identified that there would be a new European Biodiversity Strategy to reduce pressures on biodiversity and to anchor biodiversity objectives into EU agriculture, forestry and fisheries policies. Referring to the all island nature of the workshop she said 'No country can tackle the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services on its own. Most challenges are shared by several countries that stand to gain from working together'.
Chair of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group, Judith Annett said "Ireland North and South is fortunate in its variety of wildlife and natural areas but is losing important parts of these to development. The key challenge is to make sure that those who make decisions know that all aspects of our quality of life, wealth and wellbeing can be tracked back to functioning natural areas and an intact web of life. It is not a choice between biodiversity and the economy, the two are inextricably linked."
The Chair of the Irish Biodiversity Forum, Professor Ken Whelan said "facing a world populated by over 9 billion people, can we continue to set ambitious growth targets for our economies, while at the same time setting our sites on achieving the lofty ambitions for sustainability contained in Nagoya? Tackling biodiversity loss will require a change in our current production and consumption patterns not just action on conservation."
At Nagoya the UK and Ireland signed up to protecting 17% of the land and 10% of the sea for biodiversity and the conference explored priorities for both Governments and how progress could be measured using indicators.
Judith Annett concluded "there are many challenges ahead but the progress through Stormont of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill, which for the first time places a duty on public bodies to further the conservation of biodiversity in their work, is an important step."
Media enquires to Judith Annett on 00 44 28 4176 3262
Niamh Kirwan,
Policy Analyst,
Comhar Sustainable Development Council,
Floor 2,
Policy Analyst,
Comhar Sustainable Development Council,
Floor 2,
Block 7,
Irish Life Centre,
