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19-05-2010

HERITAGE COUNCIL LAUNCHES RESEARCH ON AWARENESS, UNDERSTANDING & IMPACT OF BIODIVERSITY

- Awareness levels of biodiversity have not improved since 2007 
 
- Only 18% of Irish people know what biodiversity actually means

- Greater agreement in 2010 on economic value of biodiversity as opposed to softer, recreational issues which emerged strongest in 2007
 
- Public confused about relationship between climate change & biodiversity loss

While awareness levels of biodiversity have not improved since 2007, there has been a significant shift in how the loss of biodiversity is interpreted among people in Ireland, with greater agreement on the economic issues of biodiversity, according to research launched today by the Heritage Council.

The research, which was conducted by Behaviour & Attitudes in April 2010, provides comparisons to the 2007 Flash Eurobarometer on Attitudes of Europeans & Irish people towards the issue of biodiversity.

Speaking about the research, Michael Starrett, CEO of the Heritage Council said, "In simple terms, biodiversity means all forms of life on earth. The contribution biodiversity makes to our every day lives cannot be underestimated and this research provides us with an interesting insight into the awareness and understanding of biodiversity that exists in 2010".

"It is disappointing to see that there has been no significant increase in the awareness levels of biodiversity and worryingly, the research also found lower levels of engagement with biodiversity among the younger generation, those who will ultimately be responsible for our planet in the future, when resources will be scarcer and population pressures will have increased".

"It is however, encouraging to see that there is now greater agreement of the economic value of biodiversity when compared with the focus on softer, recreational issues that emerged in 2007. This increased focus on economic issues must be built upon and the research, commissioned by the Heritage Council, highlights the need for more work to be done in informing the public of the significance of the changes that are taking place in the natural world, and the real impact it will have in terms of our food, water and health".

"People must take responsibility for their role in biodiversity. The connection must be made because if people do not understand the importance of biodiversity to their every day lives, how can they be expected to protect it?"

"In 2008, a report on the ‘Economic and Social Aspects of Biodiversity in Ireland’ established a marginal value of biodiversity to Ireland in key sectors of agriculture, forestry, infrastructure development and climate change of at least €2.6million per annum. The reality is that the true value is likely to be much higher if the benefits to human health were also included. Biodiversity is simply not an issue which can be ignored anymore, the time to act is now," added Mr. Starrett.