Biodiversity means the variety of all living things – every plant, animal, insect, fungus and microorganism – and the ecosystems they depend on. Ireland is home to an estimated 31,000 species, from Atlantic salmon and red deer to carnivorous sundew plants and over 300 species of wild bee.
But Ireland’s biodiversity is in serious trouble. Habitats are fragmented, species are declining, and the country is falling well short of its international conservation commitments. This guide explains what biodiversity looks like in Ireland today, what is driving the crisis, and what is being done about it.
🌍 How Bad Is the Biodiversity Crisis in Ireland?
The short answer: very bad. The numbers paint a bleak picture.
Of the 3,145 Irish species assessed using international IUCN Red List criteria, 433 (around 14%) are considered threatened with extinction. A further 82 species have already been classified as regionally extinct in Ireland, including the grey wolf, the mountain ringlet butterfly and several plant and moss species lost to habitat destruction.
Only about 15% of Ireland’s protected habitats are in good conservation status. Nearly 46% are in poor condition and 39% are rated as bad. These are some of the worst figures in Europe.
Ireland has just 14.4% of its land under formal protection and under 10% of its marine areas protected. The EU target under the Global Biodiversity Framework is 30% by 2030 – Ireland is nowhere near this.
Perhaps most worryingly, only about one in ten of Ireland’s estimated 31,000 species have even had their conservation status assessed. We simply do not know how many species are in trouble because we have not yet looked.
🐝 Pollinators in Crisis – Ireland’s Bees Are Disappearing
Ireland has 99 species of wild bee, including 21 bumblebee species and 77 solitary bee species. These insects are essential – they pollinate crops like apples, strawberries, tomatoes and oilseed rape, as well as roughly three quarters of Ireland’s wild plants.
The problem is that one third of Ireland’s wild bee species are now threatened with extinction. More than half of all bee species have seen their distribution decline by over 50% since 1980. Two species have already gone extinct in Ireland.
The situation is getting worse, not better. The All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme, which has been tracking populations since 2012, recorded a year-on-year decline of 3.5% across the eight most common bumblebee species up to 2024. More than half of our most common bumblebees are in decline.
The main causes are loss of wildflower-rich habitats, intensive agriculture, pesticide use, disease and climate change.
The economic stakes are real too. Bee pollination is estimated to be worth €59 million per year to the Irish economy through crop production alone.
🔹 The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, launched in 2015 and coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre, is Ireland’s main response to the pollinator crisis. It is a shared plan of action that brings together councils, farmers, businesses, community groups and gardeners.
Over two thirds of county councils across the island have committed to taking action for pollinators. More than 320 businesses have signed up as supporters. Over 160 local communities have made their towns more pollinator-friendly through the Tidy Towns competition.
The plan focuses on practical, doable actions: planting wildflowers, reducing mowing, creating nesting habitats and cutting pesticide use. It is one of the most successful community-driven conservation initiatives in Europe.
🌿 Ireland’s Key Habitats and Ecosystems
Ireland’s landscape is dominated by farmland, which covers around 67% of the country. Wetlands account for about 14.5% and forests roughly 10.7%. Urban areas make up just 3.4%.
Each of these habitat types faces its own pressures, but some of Ireland’s most important ecosystems are in particularly dire shape.
🔹 Peatlands and Bogs
Peatlands cover about 20% of Ireland’s land area – roughly 1.5 million hectares. They are among the most important ecosystems on the planet. Despite covering just 3% of the Earth’s surface globally, peatlands store approximately twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined.
Ireland holds around 50% of the intact oceanic raised bog systems remaining in Europe. But approximately 85% of Ireland’s original peatland area has been lost or degraded through turf cutting, drainage, afforestation and conversion to farmland. Only about 20% of Ireland’s peatlands remain intact.
This matters enormously for both biodiversity and climate. Drained peatlands emit an estimated 11 million tonnes of CO₂ per year in Ireland – comparable to the entire Irish energy sector. Healthy bogs, on the other hand, are home to extraordinary wildlife including carnivorous plants like sundews, butterworts and bladderworts, specialist butterflies like the endangered marsh fritillary, and breeding waders such as curlew, lapwing and snipe.
Major restoration efforts are now underway. Bord na Mona has committed to rehabilitating up to 80,000 hectares of cutaway bog. The National Parks and Wildlife Service is running restoration projects across designated sites. Tech companies including Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon have also invested in Irish peatland restoration, recognising both the climate and biodiversity value.
🔹 Hedgerows and Farmland
Ireland’s hedgerow network is one of the most extensive in Europe and provides critical corridors for wildlife movement, nesting habitat for birds and food sources for pollinators. However, hedgerow removal, intensive farming practices and overgrazing have degraded many of these habitats.
The Common Farmland Bird Index has fallen from a baseline of 100 in 1998 to 92 in 2024, indicating a steady decline in farmland bird populations. Species like the curlew (with only around 150 breeding pairs remaining), the lapwing and the snipe have suffered dramatic losses.
The ACRES scheme (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme), funded at €280 million for 2026, pays farmers to implement environmentally beneficial practices on their land. This represents a growing recognition that farmers need financial support to become part of the solution.
🔹 Rivers, Lakes and Marine
Ireland’s freshwater habitats support species like the Atlantic salmon, European eel, freshwater pearl mussel and white-clawed crayfish, several of which are under serious threat. Water quality in many rivers and lakes continues to decline due to agricultural run-off and nutrient pollution.
Marine biodiversity is also under pressure. Ireland’s marine protected area coverage is under 10%, far below the 30% EU target. Iconic marine species including the angel shark and basking shark are classified as endangered, and seabird populations are declining, with puffins and kittiwakes now globally threatened.
🐦 Birds of Conservation Concern
The most recent Birds of Conservation Concern in Ireland review (covering 2020-2026) found that 54 bird species – 26% of all Irish bird species – are now on the Red List, indicating the highest level of conservation concern. This represents a 46% increase in the number of Red-listed species compared to the previous assessment.
Some of the most concerning declines include:
🌿 Curlew – down to approximately 150 breeding pairs, one of Ireland’s most endangered birds
🌿 Puffin – now globally threatened, with warming seas affecting food supplies
🌿 Kittiwake – significant declines linked to climate change and overfishing
🌿 Kestrel – once the most common bird of prey in Ireland, now Red-listed
🌿 Swift – declining due to loss of nesting sites in older buildings
🌿 Meadow Pipit – once abundant across Ireland, now on the Red List
Wading birds and seabirds are faring the worst overall, with habitat loss, changes in farming practices and climate change all contributing factors.
📋 What Is Ireland Doing About Biodiversity Loss?
Ireland has several key policies and frameworks in place to address biodiversity loss:
🔹 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan (2023-2030)
Ireland’s 4th NBAP sets the national agenda for biodiversity until 2030. It takes a “whole of government, whole of society” approach and introduced a new legal duty requiring all public bodies to integrate biodiversity into their plans and programmes. By the end of 2026, all local authorities are required to have a biodiversity action plan in place.
🔹 EU Nature Restoration Regulation
Ireland is required under EU law to develop a National Restoration Plan. Work on this has been ongoing throughout 2025. The regulation requires member states to restore degraded ecosystems and emphasises the need to combine biodiversity restoration with renewable energy deployment – balancing nature protection with Ireland’s wind energy expansion.
🔹 Natura 2000 Network
Ireland’s network of protected areas includes Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) under the EU Habitats Directive and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) under the Birds Directive. However, the overall coverage remains below EU averages and far short of the 30% target.
🔹 Funding Gap
The Climate Change Advisory Council has identified an estimated annual investment gap of €700 million for biodiversity in Ireland. Without significantly increased funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, local authorities and conservation programmes, meeting Ireland’s targets will be extremely difficult.
🏡 What Can You Do to Help Biodiversity in Ireland?
You do not need to be a scientist or a landowner to make a difference. Some of the most effective actions are small and local:
🌿 Let your garden grow a little wild – reduce mowing, leave some areas of long grass and allow wildflowers to establish. This creates food and habitat for pollinators and other insects.
🌿 Plant native species – hawthorn, blackthorn, wild cherry, honeysuckle and ivy are all excellent for Irish wildlife. Even a window box of native wildflowers helps.
🌿 Avoid pesticides – chemical pesticides kill not just pests but also beneficial insects including bees, hoverflies and ladybirds.
🌿 Create nesting habitat – a log pile, a patch of bare soil, or an insect hotel provides homes for solitary bees, beetles and other invertebrates. Leave hedgehog-sized gaps in fences.
🌿 Report wildlife sightings – the National Biodiversity Data Centre runs citizen science schemes including the All-Ireland Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme. Your observations help scientists track species changes.
🌿 Reduce your carbon footprint – climate change is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Making your home more energy-efficient through SEAI-funded upgrades is one of the most impactful things any individual can do.
🌿 Support local conservation – get involved with your local Tidy Towns group, Heritage Council initiatives or community wetland projects.
🌿 Hold companies accountable – look beyond greenwashing claims and support businesses that take genuine action on biodiversity.
🔗 Biodiversity and Climate Change – Two Sides of the Same Coin
Biodiversity loss and climate change are deeply interconnected. Healthy ecosystems – peatlands, forests, hedgerows, oceans – absorb and store carbon. When those ecosystems are degraded, they release carbon and lose their ability to buffer against extreme weather.
Restoring Ireland’s peatlands alone could shift them from emitting 11 million tonnes of CO₂ per year to potentially sequestering up to 4.5 million tonnes per year. That is a swing of over 15 million tonnes – a massive contribution to Ireland’s goal of reaching net zero by 2050.
At the same time, climate change is directly harming biodiversity. Warming seas are disrupting marine food chains and threatening seabird colonies. Changing rainfall patterns affect river ecosystems. Milder winters allow invasive species and diseases to spread.
The message from scientists is clear: you cannot solve one crisis without addressing the other. Every action that protects nature also helps the climate, and vice versa.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Biodiversity in Ireland
🔹 How many species are there in Ireland?
Ireland is home to an estimated 31,000 species. However, only about one tenth of these have had their conservation status formally assessed.
🔹 How many species are threatened in Ireland?
Of the 3,145 species that have been assessed, 433 (around 14%) are threatened with extinction. The figure is highest among bees (30%), sharks and rays (30%), and amphibians, reptiles and freshwater fish (30%).
🔹 What percentage of Ireland is protected?
Around 14.4% of Ireland’s land and under 10% of marine areas are formally protected. The EU target is 30% by 2030.
🔹 Why are Ireland’s bees declining?
The main drivers are habitat loss (especially wildflower-rich meadows), intensive agriculture, pesticide use, disease and climate change. One third of Ireland’s 99 wild bee species are now threatened with extinction.
🔹 What is the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan?
Launched in 2015, it is a shared plan of action coordinated by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. It brings together councils, farmers, businesses and communities to create an Ireland where pollinators can survive and thrive. You can find free resources and get involved at pollinators.ie.
🔹 How do peatlands help biodiversity?
Peatlands are home to specialist wildlife found nowhere else, from carnivorous plants to rare butterflies and breeding wading birds. They also store vast amounts of carbon and regulate water flow. Restoring degraded bogs is one of the most cost-effective things Ireland can do for both biodiversity and climate.
📚 Related Guides
🌿 Climate Change Ireland
🌿 Carbon Tax
🌿 Extreme Weather & the Economy
🌿 Net Zero
🌿 Greenwashing
🌿 Scope 1, 2 & 3 Emissions
🌿 Circular Economy
🌿 Climate Glossary
👉 All guides and calculators
Climate Jargon Buster is an independent resource providing plain-English information on climate, energy and sustainability topics for an Irish audience. Sources for this article include the National Biodiversity Data Centre, the Climate Change Advisory Council, the EPA’s State of the Environment Report 2024, the CSO, BirdWatch Ireland and the National Parks and Wildlife Service. For the latest data, visit biodiversityireland.ie and npws.ie.