PRESS RELEASE
Midlands Minister Welcomes UN Recognition of Ireland’s Bog Restoration
Pippa Hackett has welcomed the United Nations’ acknowledgement of Ireland’s efforts to restore damaged peatlands.
Commenting on Bord na Móna being singled out for its efforts which are part of the overall plan to restore more than 50,000 hectares of Irish peatlands, Minister Hackett said:
‘We are doing the right thing in Ireland in terms of bog restoration and it is going to save us millions of tonnes of carbon. It’s wonderful to see it recognized by the United Nations and the Midlands can be justifiably proud of the steps that are being taken. I’m delighted to be part of a government that supports that effort.”
Environment Minister Eamon Ryan last year announced the investment of €108m of state funding to bog restoration being carried out by Bord na Móna.
Dianna Kopansky of the United Nations Environment Programme said of their work to date: “More industry partners should follow Bord na Móna’s long term thinking and transition their business away from destruction and toward restoration for the health of our people and the planet on which we depend.”
Niall Ó Brolcháin of the National University of Ireland Galway, who is the policy co-ordinator of the EU Care Peat project, also acknowledged the efforts of Bord na Mona, saying: “Bord na Móna has embraced the role of poacher turned gamekeeper in alignment with the EU Green Deal just transition mechanism.”
And in terms of the impact of the project as a whole he added: “In fact this is probably the single biggest opportunity Ireland has to reduce emissions quickly as peatland covers about one fifth of the land area. This is hugely significant for Ireland as land which was once seen as bogland is now being recognised as a major national asset.”