Poots Commits To 'Much Needed Nature Recovery'

Environment Minister Edwin Poots has committed to the delivery of a "much needed nature recovery and nature-based solutions" during a visit to COP26 in Glasgow.

The Minister made his visit on Nature Day, which highlights the importance of nature and sustainable land use as part of global action on climate change and a clean, green recovery.

Nature Day reinforces the key message at COP26 around the intrinsic link between nature and climate on the key role in delivering a nature positive, low carbon future for Northern Ireland.

Minister Poots said: "We are all aware that climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin and must be tackled together, highlighted at COP26 and the recent COP15 Biodiversity Summit. That is why I am delighted to visit COP26 on Nature Day to highlight my commitment to deliver much needed nature recovery and nature-based solutions, and to endorse the World Leaders declaration on Forests and Land Use.

"With the focus on nature today, it gives Northern Ireland a unique opportunity to showcase to the rest of the world the positive action being taken to restore nature, as set out in the recent UK Nature Positive 2030 report, and our commitment to deliver for biodiversity and nature-based solutions to tackle climate change."

The UK Nature Positive 2030 report was published on 22 Sept 2021. This is a joint report between NIEA, Natural England, JNCC, NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales, setting out by way of case studies how the UK can reverse declines in biodiversity so that species & ecosystems can recover and become Nature Positive by 2030, thus delivering a low carbon, high nature future.

Endorsing the report, Minister Poots said: "We have a good story to tell in Northern Ireland, with the Nature Positive 2030 report featuring the excellent work from restoring peatlands at the Garron Plateau to lapwing recovery at Portmore Nature reserve, restoration of the Peatlands Park and improvement work at Connswater Greenway."

The Minister continued: "However, we must not forget that this report also highlights that much more needs to be done. I am progressing this, including through the recently launched NI Executive’s Green Growth Strategy, Environment Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and a future agricultural policy framework. We need to build on and accelerate these actions to ensure that we are building a low carbon, high nature future for all."

Earlier this week, the World Leaders Summit saw the adoption of the Declaration on Forests and Land Use, reaffirming their commitments to end deforestation and support sustainable land use, and to the conservation, protection, sustainable management and restoration of forests, and other terrestrial ecosystems.

Nature Day reinforces the key message at COP26 around the intrinsic link between nature and climate on the key role in delivering a nature positive, low carbon future for Northern Ireland.

Minister Poots said: "We are all aware that climate change and biodiversity loss are two sides of the same coin and must be tackled together, highlighted at COP26 and the recent COP15 Biodiversity Summit. That is why I am delighted to visit COP26 on Nature Day to highlight my commitment to deliver much needed nature recovery and nature-based solutions, and to endorse the World Leaders declaration on Forests and Land Use.

"With the focus on nature today, it gives Northern Ireland a unique opportunity to showcase to the rest of the world the positive action being taken to restore nature, as set out in the recent UK Nature Positive 2030 report, and our commitment to deliver for biodiversity and nature-based solutions to tackle climate change."

The UK Nature Positive 2030 report was published on 22 Sept 2021. This is a joint report between NIEA, Natural England, JNCC, NatureScot and Natural Resources Wales, setting out by way of case studies how the UK can reverse declines in biodiversity so that species & ecosystems can recover and become Nature Positive by 2030, thus delivering a low carbon, high nature future.

Endorsing the report, Minister Poots said: "We have a good story to tell in Northern Ireland, with the Nature Positive 2030 report featuring the excellent work from restoring peatlands at the Garron Plateau to lapwing recovery at Portmore Nature reserve, restoration of the Peatlands Park and improvement work at Connswater Greenway.

The Minister continued: "However, we must not forget that this report also highlights that much more needs to be done. I am progressing this, including through the recently launched NI Executive’s Green Growth Strategy, Environment Strategy, Biodiversity Strategy and a future agricultural policy framework. We need to build on and accelerate these actions to ensure that we are building a low carbon, high nature future for all."

Earlier this week, the World Leaders Summit saw the adoption of the Declaration on Forests and Land Use, reaffirming their commitments to end deforestation and support sustainable land use, and to the conservation, protection, sustainable management and restoration of forests, and other terrestrial ecosystems.