Cop17: Ireland must fund nature protection, Minister tells summit
Ireland will have to come up with the money to protect the natural world, Minister for Nature Christopher O’Sullivan has told the Cop17 global biodiversity summit. He said it was not enough that Ireland was first in the EU to present a national nature restoration plan if the plan was not backed by funding. His comments come amid ongoing discussions with Cabinet colleagues on establishing a dedicated nature restoration fund. O’Sullivan faced criticism from nature, climate and sustainability groups for failing to secure additional funding for the sector in last month’s budget. That was despite the independent advisory committee on the nature restoration plan concluding €400-€700 million a year was needed to halt and reverse wildlife loss, habitat destruction and the death of rivers and lakes. O’Sullivan told media at the Cop17 summit in Yerevan, Armenia, on Wednesday that Ireland needed to do more. “As a nation that is doing…