• The Minister for the Environment is arranging a Nature Summit on 19 May 2023.
• Event will give stakeholders opportunity to share expertise, helping shape strategies to promote biodiversity net gain and conservation.
• It will be held in Invasive Species Week and just ahead of World Biodiversity Day.
Representatives from nature and biodiversity-related organisations in Jersey will be brought together later this year for a Nature Summit convened by the Minister for the Environment.
The event, at the Royal Yacht on 19 May 2023, will follow a similar structure to the recent Construction Summit, with a guest speaker followed by breakout groups to discuss key issues.
The Minister, Deputy Jonathan Renouf, wants to ensure that stakeholders have an opportunity to share their expertise and help shape the future direction of the Government’s work on areas including protection and improvement of biodiversity; biodiversity net gain (the recovery of nature); and green infrastructure and networks.
Deputy Renouf said: “Jersey has a stunning natural environment, but as elsewhere in the world it is under huge pressure from human activities in many ways, from water course pollution to habitat loss and reductions in wildlife. My ambition is to reverse these trends and make Jersey a beacon for nature recovery.
“As Minister, I have a responsibility under the Wildlife Law to bring forward strategies to promote biodiversity. I also have a responsibility under the bridging Island Plan to develop a legal framework for the promotion of biodiversity net gain and an ‘urban greening factor’ to inform planning decisions.
“These are responsibilities I embrace, but I need help. There are many different businesses, organisations and individuals with knowledge, passion and experience of our naturalenvironment. I want to invite those with a stake in Jersey’s natural environment to a ‘Nature Summit’ to plan the best way forward. What should our priorities be? How do we best protect and enhance our natural environment? What help can the Government provide?”
The event falls within Invasive Species Week and comes just a few days ahead of World Biodiversity Day (22 May 2023).
Group Director for Natural Environment, Willie Peggie, added: “Our teams do a lot in these areas of work, in many cases we’re obligated to take certain actions and in others we have the ability to create bespoke local policy. We’d like to engage with our stakeholders to make sure we are generating the right protection, improvement and enhancement mechanisms for our unique Island biodiversity and natural environment.”
The Minister will send invitations nearer to the time and the event will be ticketed.
Government of Jersey News Release