Dolores Kelly MLA
The Member's Position
The need to take action to protect, restore and enhance nature has never been more urgent. The recent State of Nature reports paint a stark picture of nature’s decline and the harmful human, environmental and economic consequences of such loss. Indeed, Northern Ireland (NI) has lost more wildlife than any other part of the UK; 11% (272) of species in NI are threatened with extinction; and only 1 of 21 lakes is good quality.
The majority of Northern Ireland’s environmental protections are currently based in European Union (EU) legislation and there is a growing risk that these will be weakened or lost altogether due to Brexit. Work that has so far been done to maintain EU environmental law in NI and UK law, is welcome, however there is an opportunity to go further, by adopting new legislation that will not only halt environmental destruction and wildlife decline but restore nature and secure the health of our unique environment for future generations.
It isn’t just wildlife that is suffering. A degraded environment also has an impact on citizens. There is also increasing evidence of the link between the environment and public health. This includes obvious connections – for example air pollution is linked to 500 premature deaths a year in NI, and rising sea levels leaving coastal areas at risk of flooding and erosion - but also less obvious connections such as mental wellbeing.
Dolores Kelly MLA (SDLP) is proposing the introduction of an Environment and Nature Restoration Bill. Ms Kelly views the lack of substantive action in Northern Ireland for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of the natural environment as a major problem. She agrees that establishing effective governance mechanisms and targets in law for natures recovery is imperative and endorses commitments made in these New Decade New Approach Agreement.
Ms Kelly argues that not only will the introduction of the Environment and Nature Restoration Bill benefit the environment, but this change will benefit society and the wider economy. The questions in this consultation are intended to gather public views to better inform and improve legislation to protect, restore and enhance the natural environment.
