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A public discussion document has been released by DAERA seeking “big ideas” from the general public on how to tackle various environmental issues in NI.
The aim is to ultimately produce NI’s first overarching environment strategy, although the first stage in that process is to analyse responses received to this initial discussion document and develop them into firm policy proposals for a future minister.
According to DAERA, all ideas and suggestions will be carefully considered and analysed.
The document released this week sets out some of the major issues to be considered, from climate change, through to air and water quality, biodiversity, and buildings and monuments.
Given the importance of the agri-food industry to NI, it is inevitable that a number of these areas will affect agriculture.
Climate change
Among the key issues is climate change, with the UK Climate Change Act committing the UK to at least an 80% reduction by 2050 (from 1990 levels). From 1990 to 2017, emissions in NI are down 17.9%. Agriculture (27%), transport (23%) and energy supply (17%) account for around two-thirds of the total.
The most significant water quality issue militating against achievement of these requirements at the moment is nutrient enrichment
On air quality, the DAERA document sets out some key concerns – nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter mostly from road traffic, and ammonia mostly coming from agriculture.
When it comes to water quality, it points out that under EU directives member states are required to try to ensure that all inland and coastal waters reach at least “good status”. Currently in NI, just over 30% of rivers are classed as “good”.
“The most significant water quality issue militating against achievement of these requirements at the moment is nutrient enrichment, the main cause of which is run-off from agricultural land,” states the DAERA document.
The discussion document can be viewed on the DAERA website and closes to responses at 5pm on Monday 23 December.
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