Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 October 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Citizens Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed)

Dr. Martha O'Hagan-Luff:

I will come in quickly and then hand over to my colleagues. The point loops back to what Deputy Whitmore said about this feeding into everything we do. When we talk about costs and benefits, we need to look at the environmental and social costs or we are not looking at the true cost. When we consider the benefits, we must look at the environmental benefits and the benefits for communities. We must look over the longer term. I do not think cost-benefit analysis, as such, is not useful but if we are only looking at financial costs and returns, it is a disaster because that analysis will come up with the wrong answer. Any consideration of costs and benefits must include the social, community and environmental aspects or there is no point in doing it. It must be done properly.