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

Ireland’s Environment – An Integrated Assessment 2020 National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 and the National Planning Framework Ireland is committed to protecting our biodiversity for the benefit of all sectors of society through a series of targeted strategies and actions. The National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 (DCHG, 2017), the third such plan for Ireland, seeks to ensure that ‘biodiversity and ecosystems in Ireland are conserved and restored, delivering benefits essential for all sectors of society and that Ireland contributes to efforts to halt the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystems in the EU and globally’. Oversight of the current plan is undertaken through the Biodiversity Working Group, a group of government departments, agencies and other bodies that have a role in carrying out the actions of the plan. The Biodiversity Working Group published an interim review of the plan in 2020 (Biodiversity Working Group, 2020), concluding that, of the 119 actions, 8 have been implemented and 98 are ongoing; for 13, there has been limited progress. Positive highlights outlined in the review include the LIFE schemes covering Raptor LIFE, Kerry LIFE and Roseate tern LIFE, curlew conservation projects, and also the DAFM funded European Innovation Partnership projects. The EIPs are local-led projects, developed with farmers and communities and covering areas such as habitat and species protection (including hen harrier, freshwater pearl mussel, corncrake) on a range of types of farmland. The review also reports that EU co-funding is contributing to restoration efforts in peatlands and more sustainable agricultural and fishing practices, resulting in greater collaboration across sectors. A positive outcome in the review is the mention that there is a shift in public opinion towards a greater appreciation of biodiversity. National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2021 Areas identified in the interim review that need more emphasis include building on the success of the Burren Programme, developing new farming models to aid both the diversification of agriculture and an appropriate reduction in intensification in some areas, developing management plans for protected habitats and species, developing restoration plans for species in severe decline, and accelerating the establishment of Marine Protected Areas. The establishment of new frameworks for private sector investment and innovation and the restructuring of legacy non-productive, badly-sited conifer plantations; especially on peatlands are also highlighted. The review also highlighted that there has been limited progress in tackling invasive species. In addition to this the Biodiversity Forum will monitor the execution of the plan. The forum has representatives from economic sectors, non-governmental organisations, academia and other stakeholders. Figure 6.10 shows how the plan fits in with global and EU biodiversity policy. Figure 6.10  Biodiversity policies from a global scale to a national scale, adapted from Ireland’s Biodiversity Sectoral Climate Change Adaptation Plan (DCHG, 2019b) Global Regional National UN Convention on Biological Diversity EU Biodiversity Strategy National Biodiversity Plan n 20 Aichi Targets n 5 Strategic Goals n 6 Targets n 20 Actions n 7 Objectives n 18 Targets n 119 Actions The National Planning Framework (NPF; DHPLG, 2018), a high-level strategic plan that outlines the future development and growth of Ireland up to 2040, contains biodiversity objectives. One of the policy objectives is that integrated planning for green infrastructure and ecosystem services will be incorporated into the preparation of statutory land use plans. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 (DPER, 2018) details the investment needed if Ireland is to successfully implement the NPF. The NPF aims to enhance the conservation status and improve the management of protected areas and protected species. 146