Environment Strategy for Northern Ireland – Public Discussion Document

Northern Ireland’s environment is its most important asset and it is crucial to each and every one of us. Clean air, good quality water and the green and blue spaces, to which we have access, are part of our ‘natural capital’ (i.e. our stock of natural resources, including geology, soils, air, water and all living organisms).

Effective care of the environment provides very real benefits in terms of improving health and wellbeing, promoting economic development and addressing the social problems which result from a poor quality environment. The environmental issues that we need to address are wide-ranging and complex, requiring a joined up approach involving a range of stakeholders, working together with DAERA.

Northern Ireland has never had an overarching environment strategy but we believe one is now needed to develop an effective and holistic approach that will deliver real improvements for many decades to come.

DAERA has produced a public discussion document designed to give stakeholders the opportunity to express their opinions freely on a wide range of environmental issues facing Northern Ireland. We have tried, wherever possible to be non-prescriptive although we have included some suggestions to give the discussion some structure. However, absolutely nothing is set in stone at this stage – all of the responses we receive will be carefully analysed and will be used to inform a future Minister’s deliberations on the content of the Environment Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Full Document
This version is probably particularly suitable for those with a significant amount of environmental knowledge and those who have time to read into the subject matter at length.
Abridged Document
This version is probably suitable for the majority of readers. It sets out the key subject matter in a manner that should allow the reader to access the relevant information quickly and with less technical language.
Easy Read Document
This version provides the subject matter in a highly accessible format which is probably most suitable for people with difficulty reading and some younger readers.

Response Template
If you don't wish to respond online via Citizen Space please use the Response Template when emailing or posting your written response.