Some scientists believe the world is now entering a sixth mass extinction because of human impacts on nature - the fifth marked the end of the dinosaurs.
But while most of us will be familiar with the growing threat of the climate crisis, biodiversity loss appears to garner less attention.
This week in Montreal, Canada, however, Minister Malcolm Noonan and Irish representatives have joined policy makers from around the world to try and forge a deal to protect nature at global biodiversity summit COP15.
Biodiversity represents the variety of life on earth which provides us with vital ecosystem services like food, pollination, soil fertility, water purification and climate regulation.
Despite its existential importance - national, regional and global assessments all show ongoing declines in biodiversity.
The aim of COP15 is to establish a global deal to reverse the loss and stop the ongoing deterioration of nature, including animal and plant species, habitats and ecosystems.
And the growing impact of unsustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries will be at the heart of the debate.
Minister Noonan said: “COP15 is the most important meeting on biodiversity in over a decade and I’ll be there representing the Irish Government.
“Nature is essential for human existence, but we’re losing species faster than at any time over the past 10 million years.
“The great majority of the world’s ecosystems are showing rapid decline. Some scientists say we’re entering a sixth mass extinction – the fifth was the dinosaurs.
“COP15 is happening at a crucial time for humanity, when the urgent need to shore up nature’s contributions to people are more starkly obvious than ever,” he added.
“Food security, flood and drought mitigation, carbon sequestration and the provision of clean water are issues of significant global concern in today’s world, and all are underpinned by healthy nature.
“That’s without even mentioning the deep cultural and spiritual connections so many of us feel to the great web of life that has evolved over billions of years, and of which we are a part.
“It’s against this backdrop that the world is coming together to adopt a new global biodiversity framework that, we hope, will halt the loss and move us into an era of restoration. It’s time for ambition, for leadership and for bold action. There isn’t a moment to waste.”
Just two weeks ago, Ireland’s Citizens’ Assembly called for a referendum on laws to protect nature.
The Irish Government will be represented at COP15 by delegates from the National Parks and Wildlife Services/Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
They will negotiate in coordination with EU partners for what it is hoped will be a transformative agreement capable of addressing the huge challenges facing biodiversity globally.
UN general secretary Antonio Guterres dubbed humanity’s war on nature as “a war on ourselves” as COP15 opened on Wednesday.
He said: “It is only by investing in planet Earth that we can safeguard our future.
“It is time for the world to adopt an ambitious biodiversity framework - a true peace-pact with nature - to deliver a green, healthy future for all.”
Policy-makers from around the world are to discuss the ‘post-2020 global biodiversity framework’ which proposes 10 2030 milestones to set the world on a path to ‘living in harmony with nature’ by 2050.
Key proposals include:
- Ensuring 30% of land and marine areas are equitably managed and conserved
- Preventing/reducing invasive species like rhododendrons or knotweed by 50% or eradicating them to reduce their impact
- Cutting nutrient loss in half, pesticides by two thirds and ending discharge of plastic waste
- Using ecosystem-based approaches to mitigate and adapt to climate change while avoiding negative impacts on biodiversity
- Eliminating incentives that harm biodiversity and increasing financial resources from all sources to help the world become nature positive
It is hoped the framework will be adopted before the conference ends on December 19.
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