An independent panel tasked with reviewing environmental governance in Northern Ireland has published its interim report.
The panel was appointed by the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Addiars, Andrew Muir in November 2024.
Its report sets out emerging findings and themes, and has drawn on responses to a recent call for evidence.
The report also reflects a wide range of contributions received through public meetings, engagements with regulators, regulated parties, and broader stakeholders across the UK and Ireland.
Environmental concerns
Minister Muir welcomed the report, and thanked the panel for producing a “robust interim report with tangible actions to take”.
He said: “Strengthening environmental governance is a key ministerial priority. Better ways are needed to scrutinise and hold government to account for its stewardship of our environment and to ensure that those who breach environmental law are properly dealt with.
“There are sadly too many examples of where the focus is now on repairing and restoring the damage done at great public cost.”
“We need to turn the curve on environmental degradation and restore public confidence by ensuring we have the right structures in place to protect and improve our environment,” Minister Muir added.
The interim report will support the development of the panel’s final recommendations, expected to be submitted to Minister Muir this summer, with a proposed way forward to be presented to the executive for consideration and agreement in the Autumn.
The panel is chaired by Dr. Viviane Gravey from Queen’s University Belfast and is supported by Diane Ruddock, retired from the National Trust, and John McCallister, Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).
At the launch of the report, the panel said: “The evidence is clear, the status quo is not working, and we need genuine change to build more robust environmental governance in Northern Ireland. This includes, but does not stop at, a more independent environmental regulator.
“In our interim report we present a set of recommendations which we believe will bring meaningful but careful change and will enhance credibility, transparency and accountability in the environmental governance system as a whole.
“We are now turning to the final report, testing and working towards making our recommendations more readily applicable. As such, remember that this is only the interim report and there will be some changes in the final report,” the panel added.
