EPA - Ireland's Environment, An Integrated Assessment - 2020

Chapter 6: Nature Nature 1. Introduction Nature is invaluable and underpins our economy, security, health and wellbeing yet it is not always protected. The terms ‘biodiversity’ and ‘nature’ are often used interchangeably and refer to the variety of life forms on this planet, including humans. They also refer to how species interact with each other and the habitats in which they live. We are deeply connected to nature and rely on biodiversity for our existence yet many of us take this for granted. While having a value in its own right, biodiversity also underpins our economy, security, health and wellbeing. It plays a key role in the functioning of ecosystems, their resilience and their continuing ability to provide ecosystem services. Ecosystem services are how nature benefits us. Nature provides us with clean air and water, food and the raw materials to produce many medical treatments. It is also important to our wellbeing and affords us many opportunities for recreation (IPBES, 2018). Human society depends on the natural world for its survival. Decisions we make now about how we produce and use food, how we use water or natural resources and the range of other benefits derived from nature, will impact on what ecosystem services will continue to be available to society. The health and integrity of the natural world also impacts on our quality of life and that of future generations. In Ireland, the challenges of managing the modified landscape we have created over generations cannot be overstated. The most recent report on the status of Ireland’s habitats and species by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) concludes that most Irish habitats listed in the Habitats Directive have an unfavourable status and almost half are demonstrating ongoing declines (NPWS, 2019). The role of the NPWS is wide ranging and includes: the conservation of a representative range of ecosystems to maintain and enhance populations of flora and fauna in Ireland; designating, advising and consulting on the protection of habitats and species identified for nature conservation; arranging for the implementation of National and EU legislation and policies for nature conservation and biodiversity; managing State-owned National Parks and Nature Reserves, and promoting awareness of natural heritage and biodiversity issues. 1 1 National Parks and Wildlife Service https://www.npws.ie/ 2. State of Habitats and Species in an Irish and Global Context Nature is declining globally and nationally. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outline global efforts towards achieving sustainable development by 2030. One of the goals, SDG 15: Life on Land, aims to ‘sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss’ (UN, 2015). SDG 14 Life Below Water is also relevant covering sustainable use of the marine environment (Chapter 8). The 2018 report, Sustainable Development in the European Union , warned of an unprecedented decline in nature globally with accelerating species extinction rates and monitored progress towards the SDGs in a European Union (EU) context (EU, 2018a). Short- term (2010-2015) and long-term (2000-2015) EU trends for the biodiversity indices in SDG 15 were assessed as follows: n surface of terrestrial sites designated under Natura 2000 – steadily increasing since 2008 (too few data to analyse the long-term trend) n common bird index (integrates the abundance and diversity of a selection of common bird species associated with specific habitats) – long-term overall decline but with a small annual increase in the short term n grassland butterfly index (population trends of 17 butterfly species with data from 15 Member States, including Ireland) – both long-term and short-term severe declines after a period of stabilisation in 2000. The European Environment Agency’s assessment of the state of Europe’s biodiversity (EEA, 2019) reported a similar outlook. Despite the ambitious targets that have been set, Europe’s biodiversity continues to decline. It is very unlikely that policy targets will be met. The report stated that ‘Europe faces persistent problems in areas such as biodiversity loss, resource use, climate change impacts and environmental risks to health and well-being’. The Living Planet Report published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF, 2018) pointed to the fact that biodiversity loss is continuing. It outlined that, ‘without a dramatic move beyond “business as usual”, the current severe decline of the natural systems that support modern societies will continue – with serious consequences for nature and people’. The latest living planet report (WWF, 2020) states that biodiversity is now being destroyed at an unprecedented rate in human history and that climate change is further accelerating changes to our natural world. 129