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

Chapter 6: Nature Agricultural Policy and Biodiversity Encourage farming practices that restore and enhance biodiversity through agricultural policies and schemes. The review of the National Biodiversity Action Plan 2017- 2021 in 2020 reports that ‘in Ireland, 85% of EU protected habitats are reported as being in unfavourable status with 46% demonstrating ongoing declines. The main drivers of this decline are agricultural practices which are negatively impacting over 70% of habitats, particularly ecologically unsuitable grazing, abandonment and pollution.’ (Biodiversity Working Group, 2020). The CAP is a system of subsidies and support programmes for agriculture operated by the EU to support the long- term viability of Irish farms. Currently, under this scheme, farmers receive payments for the amount of land that is classified as being agricultural and maintained in a state suitable for grazing or cultivation. Additionally, the national agri-environment scheme GLAS (Green, Low-Carbon, Agri-Environment Scheme) rewards farmers for managing land in a way that is beneficial to nature and GLAS Plus provides a further payment to farmers for exceptional environmental commitment on farms that have been identified as habitats for endangered birds. For example, if farmers have breeding curlews on their land, they will become a priority for access to GLAS. Current implementation of the Basic Payment Scheme means that farmers receive no payment for land that is ‘unworked’, such as scrub and wetlands, which are naturally biodiverse habitats. This incentivises the clearance of such habitats to make them suitable for agriculture, in direct opposition to the environmental incentives within the CAP and GLAS. The CAP, in its current form, will reach a conclusion in 2020 and is undergoing a reform process at the time of writing this report. There will be a 1-year transitionary period ending on 31 December 2021 to ensure the continuation of the current CAP rules. It is important that this imbalance is addressed in the post- 2020 CAP to protect farmland habitats. The plans for the development of a new 10-year strategy for the agriculture and food sector for the period to 2030, to follow on from Food Wise 2015, presents an opportunity to address the negative effects on the environment that have occurred in recent years. As outlined by the EPA in its 2020 submission to DAFM in relation to the strategy, these include biodiversity, water quality, greenhouse gas emissions and ammonia emissions (Chapter 13). Citizen Science and Education for Nature Citizen Science and education improve people’s engagement in biodiversity protection activities. One of the objectives of the National Biodiversity Action Plan (DCHG, 2017), to ‘increase awareness and appreciation of biodiversity and ecosystem services’, recognises the importance of education in enhancing proactive behaviour and engaging relevant bodies in the wider community. The plan outlines the educational initiatives that various agencies and bodies are implementing around the country. The 2016 state of the environment report (EPA, 2016b) recorded an increase in public awareness of biodiversity. The trend is continuing, as borne out by the increased media coverage of the current global biodiversity crisis and the public reaction to it. It is important to capitalise on this increased interest and understanding of biodiversity issues. Education on nature for primary- and second-level school students, as well as for the wider community, needs to be a priority if we are to tackle current and future challenges. In this way, future leaders and policymakers will have a greater appreciation of the importance of nature for our continued survival. Operating on contract to the Heritage Council, the NBDC plays an important role in increasing people’s understanding of nature in Ireland and the challenges it faces. The NBDC hosts, and provides, data on species observations collected by the state and by citizen science volunteers from across the country, as well as coordinating many citizen science projects, such as the successful All- Ireland Pollinator Plan. Initiatives such as the NBDC are vital cogs in implementing the National Biodiversity Action Plan. The continuing threat of invasive alien species to our wildlife also needs to be constantly monitored and guarded against. 153