Recovery Of Nature Vital To The Future Of NI

The recovery of nature is vital to help address the threat posed by climate change and to provide food and water security, and improve wellbeing and the economy.

This was the message of NI's conservation bodies ahead of COP15.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and DAERA's statutory advisory body, the Committee on Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC), have joined with their counterparts throughout the UK, to support a joint statement on nature recovery. COP15, the UN Biodiversity conference, takes place in Montréal in December and will set the global biodiversity targets, and the direction for UK nature recovery, to 2030 and beyond.

The statement 'Nature Recovery for our survival, prosperity, and wellbeing' follows the Nature Positive 2030 Report published by the UK's nature agencies in September 2021, which set out the relationship between climate and biodiversity, including solid evidence on how the UK can reverse declines in biodiversity so that species & ecosystems can recover.

The UK's nature conservation bodies met at an event in London held on 23rd November, to highlight the critical role nature recovery will play in securing a sustainable future, involving NIEA, Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales, CNCC and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).

Paul Donnelly, Chief Executive of NIEA said: "Northern Ireland is renowned for its natural environment, but it is under pressure. However, it is not too late to take action to halt and reverse the loss of nature. Investing in nature recovery means investing in our prosperity and wellbeing, supporting food and water security, making us more resilient to climate change.

"The evidence clearly shows that nature and climate change are inextricably linked, and we cannot address one without the other. We have demonstrated through our Nature Positive 2030 Report that nature can indeed be restored.

"COP15 will see new global targets to restore nature and we can build on our evidence base to take action to restore nature and ensure a healthy and prosperous future for all."