At the May meeting of the Planning, Environment, Climate and Biodiversity Action, Energy and Agriculture Strategic Policy Committee, People Before Profit Councillor Adrienne Wallace called on Minister for Heritage Malcom Noonan to ensure there is funding for a biodiversity officer in Carlow council. The rest of the members unanimously agreed to write to Mr. Noonan to call for this funding.
Speaking to the proposal, Cllr Wallace said “The National Biodiversity Fourm recently released a report auditing the progress made on the National Biodiversity Plan 2017-21. The review shows that limited progress has been made to stop the decline of biodiversity in Ireland. Indicators still show a disturbing number of losses and declining trends. Two-thirds of wild bird species are listed as red or amber in conservation terms, one-third of wild bee species are also threatened with extinction and 85% of important habitats are “unfavourable”, which also limits their carbon sequestering capabilities. This is grim picture and the blame lands firmly on the new Green government who have not done enough to tackle climate change.“
Cllr Wallace added “The next Biodiversity Action Plan will be initiated this year, we must ensure that at the very least Carlow council has a biodiversity officer who can take a lead on local Green initiatives and on protecting the flora and fauna who reside here. Nationally we must push the government into tackling the oil and gas industry, into incentivising small and medium farmers to protect ecosystems and we must call for renewable energy that is led by communities not developers.”