The advisory committee on nature restoration has expressed “disappointment and frustration” at the exclusion of nature from a significant plan for public spending over the next decade.
Its members said nature has been “sidelined” in the Government’s €275 billion National Development Plan, which is to underpin projects of national importance up to 2035.
The issue was raised during a series of meetings that will feed into the committee’s recommendations for the State’s first Nature Restoration Plan.
A draft of the plan is due to be published early next year and the final document by September.
RM Block
A 13-member independent advisory committee was appointed to guide the process, with members drawn from farming, nature conservation, environmental non-governmental organisations, forestry, fishing, academia and the local authority sector.
Over a series of meetings and presentations since last spring, a number of key concerns were raised.
These included the need for committed funding, effective incentives for farmers and landowners, enforceable targets for nature restoration and clear mandates for public bodies and State-owned companies.
How to fund the plan was a recurring theme and minutes of one meeting state: “The committee outlined its disappointment and frustration at the nature element having been sidelined in the recently revised National Development Plan”.
They continue: “Urgent clarification is required from Government on this point.”
The committee also referred to the role the €3.14 billion Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund should have in financing the nature restoration plan.
Most of that fund has been allocated to the planning of MetroLink, a decision criticised by environmental groups and farming organisations.
While the advisory committee was meeting, a parallel series of “leaders forums” was under way, with participation from different sectors.
The farming forum heard money was the chief concern for farmers who want to give up land for nature but cannot remain financially viable if they do.
The urban forum heard of the challenge of making room for nature and green spaces at a time of intense pressure for new housing and other developments.
A third strand of meetings, called “community conversations” took place around the State. These were open to the general public to attend.
[ Glen of the Downs nature reserve to be expanded after State buys adjoining landsOpens in new window ]
Hundreds of participants attended and spoke at times with “grief and frustration” over habitat loss, wildlife disappearance, pollution, littering and the general decline of natural places.
Minister of State with responsibility for nature Christopher O’Sullivan in recent weeks announced a 20 per cent increase in funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service as well as the purchase by the State of White’s marsh at Inchydoney, Co Cork, and lands at Glen of the Downs in Co Wicklow for nature conservation and restoration.
He said, however, he wanted more progress on nature restoration and more involvement by all sectors of society.
“I would love if there was greater awareness of the nature restoration plan and the fact that it’s coming,” he said.
“There’s an onus on me to ensure that there’s cross-departmental awareness of the plan because this isn’t just going to be led by my department.
“But in terms of knowledge of the general public, we have to have exercises so that the people of Ireland get behind this.”
Mr O’Sullivan said he hoped the draft plan would help focus attention when it is published for public consultation early next year and he was adamant the final document would be submitted to the European Union on schedule in September.
Nature restoration plans are a key component of the EU’s Nature Restoration Law, which requires 20 per cent of the EU’s land and sea areas to be restored to good health by 2030, extending to all ecosystems by 2050.
