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The top official in Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Dr Denis McMahon, has written to his minister, Edwin Poots apologising for a statement included in a briefing document on climate legislation.
It included the line “We should not be using language such as emergency or crisis” to describe the situation around climate change.
In a subsequent interview with BBC Radio, Minister Poots made reference to that advice.
That led to criticism from other politicians, with Sinn Fein Environment spokesperson Philip McGuigan suggesting the remarks were "little short of climate change denial”.
At the Stormont Agriculture committee on Thursday morning, McMahon told members that on hearing the interview, he looked again at the briefing given to Minister Poots.
“It was a clumsy line by officials,” he acknowledged, and something “I apologise for and regret”, he said.
McMahon explained that the line had been included in the briefing document because officials believed it was consistent with the Minister’s views.
It was a clumsy line by officials
“We did not, however, make clear that it was included on that basis, and therefore did not state that the line had not been meant to constitute official advice,” McMahon states in his letter to the Minister.
At the committee meeting on Thursday, McMahon said he fully accepted that human actions were leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming. “I also fully accept we need to act now,” he added.
Poots position
Outlining his thinking at the AGM of the Ulster Farmers’ Union last Saturday, Minister Poots made clear that farmers must do more to reduce emissions, improve biodiversity, etc.
Last month, he also launched a "green growth" strategy which aims to make NI a global leader in sustainable food production.
However, he has also highlighted his reluctance to put legislation in place that could ultimately cut production on farms.
“I am looking for wins that make real and tangible differences to the environment but won’t crucify farming when doing it. We (in NI) will make a contribution (to climate change), but do it in a rational, sensible, practical way, and leave others to do the panicking” he told UFU members.
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