Only One Ireland: Biodiversity related legislation

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Biodiversity related legislation - International level

International legislation and agreements relating to wildlife conservation and biodiversity that apply to Ireland:

International Conventions and Agreements:
Five international conventions focus on biodiversity issues. These are linked below and are nicely summarised on the Joint Website of the Biodiversity Related Conventions.

Convention on Biological Diversity
World Heritage Convention
Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (signed 1979, ratified 1983). The Bonn Convention encompasses the agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) (signed 1996, ratified following commencement of Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000) and the agreement on the Conservation of Bats in Europe (signed 1993, ratified 1995).
Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (signed 1971, ratified 1984).
CITES - Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (signed 1974, ratified following commencement of Wildlife Amendment Act, 2000).

Other Conventions and Agreements are also of interest including the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling signed 1946, ratified 1985 and the International Tropical Timber Agreement signed 1996, ratified following commencement of Wildlife (Amendment) Act, 2000

The island of ireland

Once upon a time, and for 15000 years, ice a mile high blanketed Ireland. When the lingering Ice Age finally released and the Irish ice departed it left a landscape scoured. Across land bridges linking Ireland, Britain and mainland Europe plants and animals arrived to colonise the new lowlands, mountains and valleys. The world’s ice continued to melt, the sea levels to rise, and some 8000 years ago Ireland became the island we now know, accounting for just 0.01% of the world's total land area and the most westerly point of Europe.

Though at Alaskan latitudes, the country's climate is tempered, due partly to the neighbouring waters of the Gulf Stream and partly the prevailing southwesterlies that veering and backing make landfall on our sodden coast. These offerings from the Atlantic mean it is never too hot, never too cold. But without doubt it is wet. Rain lingers year round, never far away, though is most frequent in winter, the western counties and, inevitably, on the day of your parade.