Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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32. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the way in which he plans to incorporate biodiversity and nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation within his climate action portfolio; the efforts he will take to bridge the policy gap between climate action and biodiversity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16065/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government sets out our ambition to more than halve our carbon emissions over the course of the decade. The action we take in the coming years will be critical in order to address the climate crisis, which threatens our safe future on this planet.

As Minister for Climate Action, I will lead on delivering our shared commitment to achieve an average 7% per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, and to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. With the increased scale and depth of this ambition, new strategies will be needed to sustain a reduction trajectory that will increase over time. I will work with colleagues across government to develop a new Climate Action Plan before year end, with additional initiatives in every sector, including biodiversity and nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation.

The Programme for Government recognises climate action and biodiversity need to fully cohere. This is particularly the case in the agriculture sector, where the Programme for Government contains a dedicated section covering both climate action and biodiversity. It is important that reforms to the Common Agricultural Policy reward farmers for sequestering carbon, restoring biodiversity, improving water and air quality, producing clean energy, and developing schemes that support results-based outcomes. Protecting and enhancing the incomes and livelihoods of family farms is a key objective of the Government, as the agriculture sector embraces the mission of delivering on climate mitigation and biodiversity objectives, while building on its achievements as a world-class producer of quality food. Our agricultural sector will need an increased emphasis on education in the areas of sustainability, agroecology, climate action and biodiversity, underpinning nature-based solutions in land use, soil health and agriculture.

The Programme for Government also commits to expanding the Environment Fund, through the introduction of new levies, and then ring-fencing this money for investment in biodiversity and climate initiatives, including a parks fund to support the development of new parks and wildlife areas.

I will work closely with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Minister for Agriculture and Marine, and each of their ministerial colleagues, the Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform and the Minister of State with responsibility for Land Use and Biodiversity, to maximise the clear synergies between climate and biodiversity policy.