Commitment to publish Northern Ireland’s EIP, but no mention of an Environmental Watchdog

On Tuesday the 10th September, the government of Northern Ireland published it’s Programme for Government 2024-2027. The Programme includes a pledge to publish the overdue Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP).

Under measures in the Environment Act 2021, the EIP was originally due to have been published by 25 July 2023. Northern Ireland’s environment minister, Andrew Muir, tabled the plan to the Executive in March 2024, but the document is still awaiting approval.

There was no mention of the creation of a new independent environmental watchdog for Northern Ireland, despite support expressed by Minister Andrew Muir earlier this year (link to article).

The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) is the regulatory body for environmental protection for both England and Northern Ireland. The OEP are currently consulting on their strategy which, in Northern Ireland, will take the long-awaited EIP as its cornerstone.

Other pledges to note:

• development of the first Climate Action Plan, detailing cross-cutting steps to reduce carbon emissions, adapt to changing weather patterns, and work towards net zero;
• development of an Interagency Monitoring Protocol, to clarify what monitoring will be carried out, and by whom, in response to future blooms of blue-green algae at any site.

The Programme also referred to the Lough Neagh Action Plan and the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) which have already been published and launched respectively, with the latter intended to provide financial support to explore potential solutions to treat and/or reduce blue-green algal blooms.

The Programme is preceded by the publication last week of a concerning report from the OEP which reviewed how well the EU’s Water Framework Directive is being implemented through legislation in Northern Ireland. The report makes 16 recommendations and highlights eight areas of possible non-compliance.