By Coalition 2030
On March 22, over 100 people from environmental NGOs and community groups around Ireland joined a zoom call to learn, share, and prepare for the upcoming Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity. Coalition 2030 members: the Irish Environmental Network and Cultivate successfully designed and led the gathering with the Coalition coordinator.
At the first part of the event, Padraic Fogarty of the Irish Wildlife Trust and author of Whittled Away – Ireland’s Vanishing Nature‘ gave a brief overview of biodiversity in Ireland and the challenges it is facing in the country. Then, Art O’Leary, Secretary-General, Electoral Commission of the Citizens’ Assembly, spoke about the process and practical details of the upcoming Assembly. Lastly, Oisín Coghlan from Friends of the Earth, involved in previous Citizens’ Assemblies, shared his experience of participating and gave insights on what to expect. You can watch the first session here.
In the second part, attendees explored biodiversity topics through lenses such as well-being, the law and local authorities. This process has only just begun, with hybrid events, FAQ documents, and a communications campaign to ensure as many people in Ireland as possible share their views on biodiversity during the public consultation period. You can follow the activity on Twitter #CABioLoss @CitizAssembly @IrishEnvNet @cultivate_ie @Coalition2030IR