Cork Nature Network - 15 recommendations for the Dev Plan to face the climate and biodiversity crises

These principles must commit to a rapid acceleration to a fully decarbonised Cork City (well before 2050) that centres around the wellbeing of all its people as well as the natural world.

. CNN recommends (3) three principles to give power to this:

• Protect biodiversity. Key sites (nature rich areas including but not only  those that are legally protected), networks (e.g. green spaces) and features (e.g. street trees) for nature must be protected.
• Restore biodiversity. There are many opportunities to restore nature – an ambitious restoration programme must be initiated. 
• Ensure net gain for biodiversity. In all its actions where it can have influence for nature the City must set a goal of net gain.

CNN recommends (5): the CCDP adopts an Eco-Health approach as a core policy measure to ensure ‘liveability’ and sets out how the policy will guarantee strong delivery around a series of key design principles . CNN notes a recent EPA report ‘Eco-Health: Ecosystem Benefits of Greenspace for Health’ http://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/health/research328.html  

.CNN recommends (7) the new CCDP both (a) sets out an ambitious vision for green and blue infrastructure to be planned for, invested in and actively and preferentially used to enhance ecosystem services that benefit all living, working in and visiting Cork; and (b) to do this via the CCDP creatively promoting the City as a fabulous much more nature-rich place and achieving this rapidly via multiple collaborations and multiple methods to resource these  including working with developers and the use of developer contributions, and with companies, schools, sports clubs and local residents groups.

CNN recommends (9): a very active process to inform the next steps of the CCDP to engage with and develop policies around a biodiversity-rich city (for example):

• Cork as Irelands most biodiversity-rich City. With for example in the new CCDP period 20 new biodiversity-rich public spaces
• Ensure that 100 percent of Corkonians have free and easy access to high quality biodiversity-rich green space.
• Connect 100 percent of Cork’s children to nature.
• Improve Corks air and water quality year on year.
• Improve the richness, connectivity and biodiversity of Corks habitats by creating ecological connecting routes
• Additional 10,000+ m2 of green roofs
• Greater rainwater absorbance due to increased green space for example in industrial areas and car parks, and along major roads. Say 40% (?) of ground surface made permeable
• Full protection (& celebration) of healthy trees
• More nature-friendly buildings for example so birds (swifts, swallows, etc) can nest more easily. Building for biodiversity.
• Bourgeoning biodiversity-rich green space with the municipal budget for it increasing correspondingly. The additional spending as a recognition of the value that this green space holds for local people, and a response to challenges such as overcrowding, the changing demands of residents, and climate change.
• All Parks with a 1000 species
• All neighbourhoods with their own designated area for ‘wilderness’ - in each of the city districts

CNN recommends (11): the approach: ‘Protect biodiversity/Restore biodiversity/Ensure net gain for biodiversity’ should be set out clearly in the new CCDP to underpin issues of environmental quality. And that these should be married to NbS as preferred or prioritised means of dealing with say climate adaptation and building resilience.

Making significant progress against environmental quality goals will be made difficult and more than likely fail without a powerful strategy of communication and citizen engagement – CNN recommends (13) building a deep and significant citizen-centred programme of biodiversity animation – communication and engagement.