Members of the public have been invited to have their say on Ireland’s new national biodiversity plan.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley today invited any interested persons or organisations to submit views in writing on the second draft of the plan, which is currently being prepared.
Biodiversity - or biological diversity - is the term given to the variety of life on Earth, including plant and animal species as well as ecosystems.
“Biodiversity is important to all of us; it sustains key economic activity such as forestry, agriculture and fisheries,” Mr Gormley said.
“Moreover, Ireland’s natural environment is a key attraction for overseas visitors and critical for our tourism industry. Biodiversity also provides us with jobs and a greater quality of life, providing environmental services such as clean air, fresh water and carbon sequestration.”
Mr Gormley said the aim of the new National Biodiversity Plan is to ensure that Biodiversity is protected into the future in line with EU and International level strategies. It will set out a programme of action for the period 2010 to 2015.
“Much has changed since the first plan was published,” Mr Gormley said. “For example, it did not specifically mention climate change. Since 2002, there is a greater amount of even more compelling evidence that significant changes are occurring in our environment, many undoubtedly as a result of human activity.
“Many species have been lost and many more are under serious threat. We need to arrest these changes and restore our ecosystems where feasible. Where we can’t reverse what has happened or replace what has been lost, then we need to adopt a proper strategy of adaptation.”
He said “everybody” - including “individuals, organisations and decision-makers” - needed to “step up to the mark”.
“Time for making the changes needed is definitely running out.”
Written observations in Irish or English may be returned by post or email to Biodiversity Policy Unit, National Parks & Wildlife Service, Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government, 7 Ely Place, Dublin 2 or to biodiversitypolicy@environ.ie