Open letter to First Minister and deputy First Minister calls out ‘unambitious’ Environment Strategy

Today Outscape joined RSPB NI and over 30 other environmental, public health and community organisations, businesses, academics, and youth campaigners to send an open letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister highlighting concerns around the Executive’s draft Environment Strategy and how it will not adequately address the nature and climate emergency. 

The draft Environment Strategy, which has been published by the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (DAERA) on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive, has been out for a period of consultation and closes today.

Key experts and organisations, including Outscape, are sending a clear message that the ambition in the draft Strategy must be raised, with stronger targets needed.

Outscape published its response to the consultation last week, this focused on our area of expertise i.e. outdoor recreation. We are broadly in support of the actions laid out with regards to this area and have suggested a number of refinements to improve proposals.

However, along with the other signatories, we agree that the Executive must act with urgency and ambition to create a climate-safe, nature-rich, healthy world and that the strategy should recognise that the nature and climate emergency is one of the defining issues of our time and Northern Ireland is no exception.

The open letter was coordinated by RSPB NI. For more information visit their website.