Another major worldwide conference is happening right now in Montreal, Canada and it’s all about biodiversity collapse.
Everyone knows by now about the risks associated with the climate crisis - or at least I hope they do.
But a much less discussed topic is how we are wiping out other species at an alarming rate and what we can do about.
Read more: NI people and charity want much stronger nature protections, says new poll
You see, since humans decided to use the Earth and all its natural resources for our own purposes, that led to a system where wildlife and sealife has been sidelined and in some cases pushed to extinction so some of us get to eat what we want, when we want; have the things we want, when we want them and make money out of just about everything our lands and seas offer.
But that attitude and the markets that support it have wreaked havoc on biodiversity around the globe.
It comes in the form of dwindling rainforests, replaced with fields so crops like soybeans and maize can be grown to feed the world’s growing meat-lust.
Or how palm tree growers are systematically destroying Orangutan habitat to make palm oil for processed food.
Personally, I thought Iceland’s Christmas Orangutan campaign with Greenpeace in 2018 was a great way to highlight the latter and kudos to the supermarket for banning the substance from all its products.
The ad was banned from TV for being too political, a decision I don’t agree with as all it sought to do was educate people about where their food comes from and the impact that is having on other species. And that’s a subject we all deserve to know about.
Then we have large areas of land handed over to extractivists, so they can mine the metals we need for our smartphones or gems in and jewellery. And what about the old forests being cut down for wood pellets to feed power stations and wood burners or the massive overfishing putting many marine species at risk.
Or the monstrous amount of pollution we pump onto land in the form of pesticides that are killing soil nutrients, agricultural runoffs like ammonia and phosphates which are poisoning bogs, rivers, lakes and seas, which are also a dumping ground for raw sewage.
Everything we do has an impact on nature - and very little of it good when we are now facing biodiversity collapse alongside the climate crisis.
So while COP15, led by China and Canada, isn’t all over the headlines it is equally as important as COP27, if not more so.
UN general secretary Antonio Guterres dubbed humanity’s war on nature as “a war on ourselves” as COP15 opened on Wednesday, December 7.
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 harmoney 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 of knotweed by 50% or eradicating them to reduce their impact
- Cutting nutrient loss by 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.
Here in Northern Ireland, chair of the All Party Group on Climate, Kate Nicholl, said the outcome of COP15 will be crucial to securing a future for nature.
“COP15 is a momentous opportunity to secure a new global deal to protect our natural environment,” she added.
“For decades scientists and experts have sounded the alarm over how climate change is leading to an unprecedented decline in animals, plants, and other species and threatening ecosystems.
“In 2021, Alliance backed the Environment Bill which outlined plans to address environmental challenges including biodiversity loss, climate change and waste and pollution of the air, water and land.
“We have an incredibly narrow window of opportunity to deliver on the promises of the Environment Bill, halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and reverse its decline by 2050.
“We may never have this chance again. However, yet too many political leaders are still failing to meet the challenge, or even show up.
“I am disappointed Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is not planning to attend COP15 - especially considering this Tory government has failed to deliver on a long list of environmental promises and is determined to press ahead with the Retained EU Law Bill, which puts over a thousand pieces of environmental protection law in jeopardy.
“It is also regrettable that with the absence of a functioning Executive and Assembly, the opportunity for elected representatives from Northern Ireland to be at the table is being squandered.
“It is essential we get round the table again and scale up ambition to protect and restore our precious natural world.”
There's nothing sporting about 'blood sports'
While we’re on the subject of biodiversity, I’d like to talk about ‘blood sports’.
Every Boxing Day, men and women on horseback chase foxes with packs of dogs before watching as they are torn apart.
As a child, I remember watching on in horror as red-jacketed riders did the same in fields near my home and being absolutely heartbroken at the thought people could do something so cruel.
I’ve covered similar, when an exhausted deer was also pack hunted as riders cut it off at every corner.
Then we have the folks who head south to take part in hare coursing, after thousands of the supposedly protected species are snatched from the wild and sent running for their lives while being chased by greyhounds.
That sport is illegal in the North for a reason, but yet it continues in the south.
But when the powers that be can’t even step up and stop savage and illegal ‘sports’ like badger baiting, dog fighting, cock fighting and the plethora of unregistered puppy farms breeding dogs until they die, you have to wonder whether authorities really care about putting a stop to these dark sports passed off as country culture.
I’m a country girl and I can tell you it’s not in my culture to revel in the misery and fear of helpless animals already struggling to survive.
It’s no different than the trophy hunters swanning off to Africa to kill lions, giraffes and elephants.
It’s not ok there and it’s certainly not ok here - and it’s time the proper resources were put into ending it all.
Tell your politicians what you think
Why not write to your MLAs and MPs and ask them to support an end to all blood sports in NI?
We saw how the hunting with dogs bill foundered - but when Stormont is back, it needs to go back on the agenda.
Polls time and again show people are largely opposed to such things - it’s time the law reflected that instead of allowing it to go unchecked for the sake of a few.
To get the latest breaking news straight to your inbox, sign up to our free newsletter.
