“Protecting and enhancing our environment is a priority for my department and I am pleased to introduce these new provisions to further safeguard our planet.” These were the words of Northern Ireland Environment Minister Edwin Poots as he confirmed that new legislative provisions were added to the Environment Order 2022.
The changes to the document include a new legal framework for environmental governance and accountability, and was approved by the Northern Ireland Assembly on 22 February.
“These measures will not only enhance existing environmental protections but will create mechanisms that will benefit future generations through a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Northern Ireland,” claimed Minister Poots as he welcomed the changes. The document incorporates the following statutory duties to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA):
- To publish an Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP)
- Issue a policy statement on environmental principles
- The extension of the remit of the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) to include Northern Ireland
Minister Poots continues supporting the changes by saying “it is vital that Northern Ireland continues to play its part in the wider environment and climate change agendas and these provisions will enable us to do so.”
The changes come as the EU has reiterated the importance of environmental preservation and has called on European countries to acknowledge the importance thereof.
LSL News.