Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on biodiversity action and I welcome the fact we are having this debate. Nature is under threat everywhere. We are in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis. Our life support system, the interconnected ecosystem that is the beating heart of our societies and economies, is being degraded, homogenised and destroyed. The figures are stark and they cannot be denied. In 2019, a biodiversity emergency was declared in Ireland. It is an invisible tragedy on land and water that is getting worse every day.

What does this mean in practice? Natural habitats are being eroded. A total of 85% of Ireland's protected areas are in an unfavourable condition, with 46% demonstrating ongoing decline. Almost half our freshwater systems are in a poor and deteriorating condition. Our forest cover is being eradicated. At one time Ireland used to be dominated by a lush green landscape. Despite the romantic imagery of our island, this is far from the case. Ireland has only 11% forest cover. The European average is 35%. This makes us one of the lowest on the Continent. Even more devastating, only approximately 2% of Ireland is still covered in native forest. This is one of the lowest rates in Europe. Species are becoming extinct. A total of 43% of all protected species are in an unfavourable condition. More shockingly, of the groups that have undergone formal conservation assessment, more than one in five species are threatened with extinction. Devastatingly, 63% of Irish bird species are on a list of concern, with 37% on the amber list and 26% on the red list.

This is the complex web of nature that supports all of life on earth and it is facing an existential threat. The dangers this poses to us are all-encompassing. It brings with it increased global health risks, including further pandemics.

Moreover, any ability to tackle climate change will be in peril and it threatens the very agriculture systems we rely on. Therefore, without intervention, food security is under threat. By 2050, it is projected that only 10% of the Earth will be in a near-natural state and, in the next 100 to 150 years, 13% of all species will be threatened with extinction.

These are the dangers facing current and future generations. This is a critical juncture. Our ecosystem will collapse without intervention and without reform. We must choose to protect nature because it is a means of protecting all life on earth. Is ar scáth a chéile a mhairimid.

As overwhelming and devastating as these statistics are, we must not lose hope. We can take steps to reverse biodiversity loss and prevent an ecological tragedy on a massive scale as well as the sizeable economic losses and damage to our societal well-being that will accompany it. We can find our way back to a healthier ecosystem. However, all of these efforts must be just. No one should be left behind as we work to restore the healthy and diverse web of nature that supports life on our planet. As with climate change, Sinn Féin is committed to delivering a just transition, a principles-based approach that incorporates the concerns of all, including farmers, who are the traditional custodians of our land. They have an essential and vital role to play and they must be adequately supported. These are incredibly complex and difficult problems that impact us all. We must talk and listen to one another and build trust so we can move forward.

The question cannot be about “if”; it has to be about “how”. Staying still and carrying on as usual is not an option, nor is failing to be inclusive of voices that are impacted, nor kowtowing to wealthy vested interests that have powerful influence. There will be no action without an acknowledgement of the scale of the problem, and there is a growing recognition of this internationally and at home. The 2021 Global Risks Report identified biodiversity loss in the top five risks by likelihood and impact. The UN declared 2021 to 2030 as the decade of ecosystem restoration to prevent, halt and reverse. At an EU level, the crisis in biodiversity is firmly on the agenda. Sinn Féin is supportive of urgent action. It is a question of how, not if. It must be a case of pathways, not cliff edges.

At home, we recently held the landmark Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity Loss, which published its final report in April of this year. This report demonstrates the remarkable breadth and depth of understanding of this complex crisis which threatens our prosperity, well-being and survival. The assembly demonstrated that when we come together and really engage with each other, we can achieve progress. Ninety-nine members, 60% of whom were from rural Ireland, listened, asked questions and deliberated for more than 55 hours. They must be commended on this crucial work and we extend our thanks to them. Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir. Their recommendations are a call to action for all of us.

The response to the biodiversity crisis requires effective leadership, clear vision and an enabling environment for action. However, the citizens’ assembly makes clear that decades of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael-led governments have had a disastrous impact on our biodiversity. They have failed to adequately fund, implement and enforce existing national legislation, national policies and EU laws and directives. The report also points out that there is a complete lack of clarity and accountability when it comes to the implementation and enforcement of biodiversity-related legislation. The deficiencies in monitoring are also made clear. How are we supposed to get anything done when we do not know who is responsible for what? Even if we got to that point, we need to track what is going wrong and where, and, we hope, where things are getting better. The Government either acted in ways that were grossly incompetent or, even worse, purposefully obstructive. Either way, it is not good enough and it goes a long way to explaining why we are in the middle of an emergency now.

The overwhelming message of the assembly report is that the ambition of the State needs to be significantly increased. The assembly also argued that local leadership and local communities need to be part of this process, and that they should be resourced to do so. This is essential. The same is true of NGOs. All stakeholders require a seat at the table. Significantly, they have called for an all-island approach to be considered in response to the crisis. The biodiversity crisis knows no borders. The citizens’ assembly has also called on the business community to engage with the decline in nature. They cannot continue to act as if this is a problem that does not concern them. Those with the least should not be asked to shoulder the burden while those with the most continue to act as if it is business as usual. This transition has to be just and equitable or it is no transition at all.

The report also highlights important international and regional tools, such as the Natura 2000 sites and the EU biodiversity strategy. Part of this strategy is the EU's nature restoration law. This is a landmark attempt to get to grips with the biodiversity crisis. The nature restoration law has the potential to be an important tool that aims to provide protection and save nature. That is in the interests of everyone, and with the necessary reforms and amendments, we can do that. This is a challenge we must rise to in order to protect all of our futures. Farmers will be at the heart of this process. It is critical the value we place on our ecosystems is reflected in how they are resourced to manage this transition – how, not if; pathways, not cliff edges.

The State has to lead from the front. The Government cannot expect families, farmers, rural communities and ordinary workers to make changes the Government is unwilling to make itself. Any nature restoration law must allow flexibility for member states to ensure fairness and equity, and to lead by example. In Ireland, the State and its agencies must give that example. To do this, we must update the mandates of Bord na Móna and Coillte and amend the Forestry Act. These were also recommendations of the citizens’ assembly. Significantly, the citizens’ assembly expressed particular concerns about the blatant conflict of interest in State agencies, in particular Coillte, and in the Forestry Act 1988. Profit cannot take precedence over the protection of nature, positive ecosystem services, benefits to the community and meaningful employment. There is no doubt there is a huge challenge that stands before us but we can and must find a way forward.

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