The Government is underestimating the potential role of biodiversity in countering “the grave risk of ecosystem collapse” in Ireland and in limiting climate change impacts, the Climate Change Advisory Council has said.
In its annual review on biodiversity, the independent body of experts highlights the threat to Ireland’s food security, wellbeing and economic development if biodiversity actions are not aligned to climate priorities.
It welcomes some progress with increased legal obligations and targets, but concludes funding and action on biodiversity conservation and nature restoration “is totally inadequate”.
A holistic approach is required to tackle climate change, it adds – with aligned policies, targets, practical actions and common timeframes across mitigation to cut carbon emissions, adaptation to build resilience in the face of inevitable climate impacts and biodiversity conservation actions.
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The council calls for the setting of ambitious targets and costed measures under the forthcoming national nature restoration plan, backed by an urgent increase in funding for the fourth national biodiversity action plan.
A credible plan to protect at least of 30 per cent of Ireland’s land and sea by 2030 is also required, it says.
Council chairwoman Marie Donnelly said financial support needs to be stepped up “so we can halt and reverse biodiversity loss through the successful implementation of the national biodiversity action plan and the pending national restoration plan”.
“Adoption of nature-based approaches must be scaled up to deliver co-benefits for biodiversity and climate. To deliver on this, Government needs to create an integrated land use strategy to support climate, biodiversity and water goals, based on comprehensive spatial data,” she said.
[ Biodiversity conservation makes a resounding difference in most casesOpens in new window ]
This would require a collaborative approach across government departments and State agencies to oversee implementation of nature-based solutions within a range of sectors, including urban development and regeneration, flood prevention, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, marine and coastal management.
Council member Prof Yvonne Buckley, of Trinity College Dublin, said there was a need to optimise the role of ecosystem restoration in reducing emissions, sequestering carbon and improving resilience to climate change.
“Peatland restoration is an obvious example but many other ecosystems need to be protected and restored, particularly in coastal and upland areas,” she said.
[ Nature-based solutions to climate change are all around usOpens in new window ]
“It is crucially important that we understand and adapt to the impacts of climate change on ecosystems, and the Government in collaboration with the broader research community should develop a dedicated research programme to deliver this.”
The Government needs to support farmers with the long-term and results-based financial support necessary to enable them to adopt nature-friendly practices and enhance the condition of biodiversity on their farms, the report concludes.
The Government needs to create an integrated land use strategy to support climate, biodiversity and water goals
It emphasises the need for a unified and integrated approach to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency. “While climate change is a major driver for biodiversity loss, restoring and protecting ecosystems offers key climate benefits, including reduced emissions and greater resilience to the impacts of climate change.”
The council welcomes recent policy advances, including the EU nature restoration law. By implementing climate action plans published in early 2024, local authorities can play a crucial role in advancing actions that benefit both biodiversity and climate, it says.
The new €3.15 billion infrastructure, climate and nature fund must allocate sufficient resources to protect and restore carbon-rich habitats on land and at sea, it recommends.
“The Government needs to create an integrated land use strategy to support climate, biodiversity and water goals. This should be based on comprehensive habitat and biodiversity data and a clear spatial land use planning framework,” the council says. It should assess how domestic policies might negatively impact climate and biodiversity in other countries to avoid shifting problems elsewhere.
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