BirdWatch Ireland welcomes the commitment in the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael Government Formation framework document to create a New Green Deal for Ireland and ‘to take immediate action on the biodiversity crisis and to protect ecosystems on land and at sea’.
While government formation talks are still at an early stage, we call on all parties to seize this unique opportunity to put forward transformational policy proposals that will rebuild our economy in line with actions to address the Dáil declared biodiversity and climate emergencies and leaving no one behind.
Now is the time to fully integrate biodiversity and climate goals into core policies on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, housing, health, transport and energy so that we can more fully reap societal benefits from these sectors.
In addition, we welcome the renewed commitment to establish the Citizens’ Assembly to address biodiversity loss and call on the government to set this up at the earliest opportunity.
For too long, action on biodiversity has been relegated to the sidelines with inadequate investment and resolve. Deep and meaningful investment in restoring natural systems on land and at sea will bring tangible returns in ecosystem services and quality of life for people in the years to come.
BirdWatch Ireland CEO Nicholas Williams said ‘Ireland has suffered significant loss of wild bird populations with some species on the brink of extinction nationally. Birds are indicators of the health of our environment and show us that Ireland’s environment is in serious trouble. Now is the time to halt the loss of biodiversity and restore it for its own sake and for ours’.
