Thematic Areas: Environment

There is increasing consensus by the world government bodies that environmental resources are at ever greater risk: some 50% of the entire world's wetlands have been lost since 1900, for example. Climate change effects being experienced globally only aggravate the situation on the already vulnerable natural resources. Most recently the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 was held aimed at setting up a framework for climate change mitigation beyond 2012, a process which has been criticised for its failure to yield expected results.

Much of the Earth’s surface has been altered by human activities.  In the highly industrialized countries these changes have brought improved wellbeing for many but in other parts of the world these changes have engendered a cycle of poverty and ecological destruction that has persisted for generations.  Human activities have in many places reduced biodiversity, vegetation cover and accumulated organic matter which has degraded definable ecosystem functions and processes including biological carbon capture, nutrient recycling and natural hydrological regulation. This has led to massive biodiversity loss, climate changes, desertification and food insecurity.

NI supports the establishment of environmentally sound policies needed to ensure the sustainability of our ecosystems.

Current activities include:

Past projects undertaken include: