Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

466. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when he plans to publish the National Biodiversity Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51004/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The current National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was published in 2017 and runs until the end of 2021. An interim review of the current NBAP was published in February 2020 and may be viewed on the NPWS website:

.

A final review of progress on the Plan will be published in early 2022. 

Building on the previous plan, the new document will be informed by the findings of this review. The new Plan will also take into account the outcomes of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) in China next April, namely the new Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The NBAP is a whole of government Plan. It encompasses a wide range of policy areas including climate, sustainable development, water, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Led by my Department, stakeholder consultations will be held in the coming months to ensure a participatory and inclusive process. 

With this in mind, I intend to publish the new NBAP in the second half of 2022.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

467. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if it is Government policy to protect 30% of land and separate, 30% of marine areas for biodiversity purposes; if it is Government policy that within each of those that 10% of land and 10% of marine areas is strictly protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51005/21]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In May 2020, the EU published its Strategy for Biodiversity 2030. The headline goal of the Strategy is to transform at least 30% of Europe's lands and seas into effectively managed protected areas,  with at least 10% under strict protection. The Strategy was endorsed by the European Council in October 2020.

These targets are EU-wide and represent a minimum of an extra 4% for land and 19% for sea areas as compared to today across the Union. The target is fully in line with what is being proposed as part of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework due to be agreed at CBD COP15 in Kunming, China next year.

At present, only 3% of land and less than 1% of marine areas are strictly protected in the EU. The Strategy proposes that at least one third of protected areas – representing 10% of EU land and 10% of EU sea – should be strictly protected. This is also in line with the proposed global framework. 

However, the specific details around designating additional areas, and defining strict protection in the EU, are part of an ongoing participative process between the Commission and the Member States. 

Ireland's next National Biodiversity Action Plan, setting out Ireland's vision for biodiversity for the following 5 years, is due to be published in 2022. The Plan, which is Ireland's fourth, will be informed by the aims and objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the outcomes of CBD COP15.