(Montreal) Quebec is adopting a $650 million “Nature Plan” to deal with the decline in biodiversity on its territory, Prime Minister François Legault announced on Tuesday, at the opening of the 15e UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).
“This is the largest investment in the protection of the territory and biodiversity in the history of Quebec,” the Premier boasted in front of the hundreds of delegates gathered at the Palais des Congrès in Montreal.
Québec wishes in particular to implement measures for the conservation of natural environments, support Aboriginal nature conservation initiatives, act on threats to biodiversity and promote access to nature for all Quebecers.
“This Plan will go through new protected areas on public and private lands,” said the Prime Minister, reiterating Quebec’s promise to protect 30% of its territory by 2030.
“We are going to protect more territories in southern Quebec, where the biodiversity is the richest,” he said, warning of the criticisms that have often been made of the government for favoring the creation of protected areas north of the limit of forests attributable to industry.
Quebec also intends to further protect its threatened and vulnerable species.
“We are going to establish a close follow-up [et] we are going to help economic players reduce their impact on biodiversity,” declared the Prime Minister.
The government also intends to speed up the conservation of natural environments on private lands, in partnership with conservation groups, support the creation of protected areas through an Aboriginal initiative or fight against invasive exotic aquatic plants.
This is an important signal of our desire to protect the territory of Quebec.
François Legault, Premier of Quebec
The Legault government promises to consult civil society groups, indigenous communities, conservation organizations, private companies as well as local and regional elected officials in the development of its Nature Plan, the details of which will be made public “soon” .
The Nature Plan will be spread over seven years, until 2030, thus aligning itself with the period covered by the global framework on biodiversity to be produced by COP15; the government says it will invest $345 million, more than half of the total amount, over the next four years.
Prime Minister Legault also reiterated his intention to “quickly create” a fund for water and a framework for action with “substantial means”.
They said
Quebec is playing its role as host of COP15 and is showing ambition. […] On the other hand, it lacks concrete actions, while it has turnkey projects for the protection of endangered species and indigenous conservation.
Alice de Swarte, Senior Director of the Quebec Chapter of the Society for Nature and Parks (SNAP)
The Nature 2030 Plan is unfortunately a rebranding of the commitments already made by the CAQ. To achieve the protection of 30% of the territory, it takes new announcements of protected areas, such as the Magpie River.
Alejandra Zaga Mendez, environmental spokesperson for Québec solidaire
Learn more
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- 40,000
- Number of species of wild plants and animals that Québec is home to
source: Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks of Quebec