The report prepared by the UK’s five nature agencies, setting out how the UK can reverse declines in biodiversity so that species & ecosystems can recover and become Nature Positive by 2030. It is designed to inform preparations for the upcoming important global conferences, such as COP26 (climate change) and COP15 (biodiversity).
Minister Poots said: “Healthy nature is critical for our health, prosperity and addressing climate change but our biodiversity is under severe pressure. I welcome the recent UK Nature Positive 2030 Report, produced by NIEA and the UK other nature bodies. With COP 26 taking place next month, and preparations for COP15 on biodiversity, this is a big year for taking action on nature and climate. The report focuses on how we can turn things around for biodiversity, showcasing where interventions in the right place can deliver high nature, low carbon outcomes.
“We have some good stories to tell in Northern Ireland, with the report highlighting peatland restoration at the Garron Plateau, lapwing recovery at Portmore Nature reserve, restoration of the Peatlands Park and Connswater Greenway improvements. But, these are not the only outstanding nature recovery local projects, I recently visited the upland peat restoration at Cuilcagh and upland management at Glenwherry hill farm.”
The Minster added: “We must not forget that much more needs to be done. I am progressing this through a Green Growth Strategy, Environment Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and a future agricultural policy framework. Nature recovery and nature based solutions are central to achieve a ‘low carbon, high nature’ future.”
Northern Ireland’s award winning own young naturalist, writer and environmental campaigner, Dara McAnulty has appealed to be bold and take urgent action to recover nature .. He said: “The climate crisis is here and we have nine years to fix it. We have to go high nature and low carbon to tackle both biodiversity loss and climate change together. The UK has committed to becoming nature positive by 2030. This means reversing declines in biodiversity so that species and ecosystems can begin to recover. Together we can become nature positive. The time to act is now.”
The Nature Positive 2030 report consists of two reports – a detailed Evidence Report [Nature Positive 2030 Evidence Report] and a more accessible Summary Report [Nature Positive 2030 Summary].