Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity to be convened this year

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, said: “We’ve got a long way to go to alleviate the threats and pressures on biodiversity in Ireland." File photo

A proposal to convene the long-awaited Citizens' Assembly on Biodiversity will be brought before Cabinet shortly, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed.

Environmental campaigners have previously expressed frustration that the Citizens’ Assembly still wasn’t called after being first raised in 2019 - the same year the government declared a climate and biodiversity emergency.

The issue was raised in the Dáil this Wednesday by Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan who urged the Taoiseach to convene the assembly. “Biodiversity, nature, wildlife, right across the globe is in peril and nowhere more so than right here in Ireland,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

The Taoiseach agreed that it was “absolutely critical that we move on this and move with speed and conviction”.

Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD, has said he is “thrilled” at the new Citizens' Assembly, making 2022 “a big year for nature”.

Mr Noonan said the update on the assembly “couldn’t come at a more crucial time” as 2022 brings the Biodiversity COP in China and Ireland’s new National Biodiversity Action Plan.

“We need the public’s voice at the heart of the national response to the biodiversity crisis, and this assembly will help us to do that,” Mr Noonan said.

He added that children and young people must be part of the assembly, stating that his department is currently exploring the development of a Young People’s Biodiversity Assembly.

“We’ve got a long way to go to alleviate the threats and pressures on biodiversity in Ireland and bring about the scale of restoration and recovery of nature that we need in order to protect these invaluable species and habitats, as well as the ecosystem services that all of humanity depends on for its survival,” Mr Noonan said.

“I’m hopeful that this Citizens’ Assembly will help us to bring that challenge into focus and, through its deliberations, support a national dialogue on the solutions.”