Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 27 April 2023
141. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications his plans to adapt future iterations of the Climate Action Plan to integrate the Biodiversity Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19849/23]
View answerClimate Action is the most pressing long-term global challenge of our time and is a significant priority for this Government. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) continues to highlight the link between climate change and biodiversity loss, underscoring the need to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystems as a fundamental part of building climate resilience.
Our Climate Action Plan reflects the need to integrate environmental and biodiversity actions with the climate action. The Climate Action Plan will be updated annually. It will be improved and strengthened when required, allowing us to integrate new policies and learnings from across society and Government, for what is a very significant and complex undertaking.
How we use our land has implications for human life, biodiversity and climate action. The Programme for Government committed to a Land-use Review to ensure that optimal land use options inform all relevant Government decisions. The first phase of the Land-use Review, focused on the evidence and the final report had 19 recommendations indicating the need for: more monitoring; enhancing of our mapping capability; and better application of these tools to inform decision-making. The second phase, following on from the first, will seek to optimise land use across key Government objectives, improving socioeconomic, climate, biodiversity, water and air quality outcomes.
In the meantime, the Climate Action Plan, among many actions on land, is seeking to deliver 35,900 hectares of peatland restoration as part of Bord na Móna Enhanced Decommissioning Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme (EDRRS) and the EU LIFE People and Peatlands programme. Returning these lands to more natural conditions will not just reduce carbon emissions but deliver a range of co-benefits, including the enrichment of Ireland’s natural capital; an increase in ecosystem services; strengthened biodiversity; and improved water quality and storage attenuation; as well as developing amenity potential.
In relation to the marine environment, we are assisting Ireland in meeting its objectives under the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Natura Directives. Ensuring that nature-based solutions are included in Ireland’s mitigation, resilience, and adaptation actions.
