Planning regulations must stipulate that new developments cannot leave nature worse off, the Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has said.
The council said regulations need to be drawn up to ensure no net loss to biodiversity when construction projects are complete.
That would mean preserving green spaces and biodiversity corridors, and creating habitats where nature can survive, by using “nature-inclusive infrastructure”.
It also said planners must insist developers incorporate “nature-based solutions” in their design and construction.
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That would mean strengthening natural features to help with drainage, shade, flood protection, water management, temperature control and greenhouse gas capture and storage.
The CCAC said while the National Planning Framework published earlier this year stated that planning authorities “should seek to address no net loss of biodiversity”, that goal would not be achieved without regulations.
“The development of national guidance to support the integration of biodiversity into planning processes should be progressed without delay, given the projected growth in new housing supply and other infrastructure over the next decade,” it said.
“Regulation is needed on how no net loss of biodiversity should be practically achieved in the planning and execution of individual projects.
“No net loss will require that individual developments cause no measurable loss to biodiversity, compared with what was there before development.”
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Such regulations could require developers to compensate for interference with nature by investing in biodiversity in other locations or buying nature credits, the CCAC suggests.
The recommendations come in the CCAC’s annual review of biodiversity, which warns that ecosystems are under increasing risk from the impact of climate change.
The review criticises the Government for failing to adequately recognise the threats.
“Ireland is falling far short of its international conservation commitments, with only 14.4 per cent of land and just under 10 per cent of marine areas under formal protection, far below the 30 per cent target set for 2030,” the review said.
It said the Government has not allocated enough money to protect biodiversity, calculating that there is a shortfall of €700 million annually. The gap is “compounded by the Government’s inaction” on ringfencing money from the Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund for nature projects.
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“Government’s failure to tackle biodiversity loss is having a detrimental impact on Ireland’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and its resilience to extreme weather events,” said Prof Yvonne Buckley, a member of the CCAC.
“A key priority must be to incorporate nature-based solutions and biodiversity enhancement measures into new developments. This is good for our climate, good for biodiversity and good for people.”
The CCAC also expressed concern the National Parks and Wildlife Service and public bodies generally did not have enough skilled staff to implement biodiversity conservation and restoration initiatives.
