Latest releases
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23 releases
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Parties Refuse to Face Cost of Net Zero – McIlveen
DUP Deputy Leader Michelle McIlveen MLA criticises other Assembly parties for voting down a DUP motion requiring departments to assess the costs and benefits of climate policies, arguing the Climate Action Plan's proposals remain unquantified and risk delaying the A5 and A1 road projects.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Assembly vote on DUP motion to cost net zero policies Original release: Parties Refuse to Face Cost of Net Zero – McIlveen (opens in a new tab)
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Brett: First Minister’s Rhetoric Cannot Hide Costly Climate…
DUP MLA Phillip Brett criticises First Minister Michelle O'Neill for not justifying the £1 million annual cost of a proposed Climate Change Commissioner. He says the work is already done at UK level and that NI accounts for 0.04% of world emissions.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Proposed Northern Ireland Climate Change Commissioner cost Original release: Brett: First Minister’s Rhetoric Cannot Hide Costly Climate… (opens in a new tab)
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Armstrong Slams Hypocrisy Over Londonderry-Dublin Flight And Climate Commitments
UUP economy spokesperson Diana Armstrong MLA accuses Sinn Féin and the SDLP, including the First Minister, of hypocrisy for welcoming the Londonderry to Dublin air route while backing the 2050 net-zero target. She cites environment minister Andrew Muir's confirmation that international aviation…
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Londonderry to Dublin air route resumption Original release: Armstrong Slams Hypocrisy Over Londonderry-Dublin Flight And Climate Commitments (opens in a new tab)
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We need more EV charging infrastructure in Belfast, says Long, welcoming progress
Alliance Belfast City Council Group Leader Councillor Michael Long welcomes council's agreement to begin tendering for the operating model of 42 EV charging stations on council land, after a Sinn Féin deferral. He calls for more charging infrastructure across Belfast to encourage electric vehicle…
Infrastructure and transport Local government Issue: Belfast City Council EV charging stations tender decision Original release: We need more EV charging infrastructure in Belfast, says Long, welcoming progress (opens in a new tab)
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Northern Ireland Cannot Be Broken by Unachievable Climate Targets
UUP Deputy Leader Robbie Butler MLA says a Audit Office report confirms concerns that the Department for Economy's energy strategy is falling short, and calls for a revision of Northern Ireland's 2030 climate targets, citing grid connection delays, planning delays and the lack of a storage strategy.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: Audit Office report on Department for the Economy green energy strategy Original release: Northern Ireland Cannot Be Broken by Unachievable Climate Targets (opens in a new tab)
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Boylan welcomes new electric vehicle charging pilot scheme
Sinn Féin MLA Cathal Boylan welcomes Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins's announcement of a six-month pilot testing electric vehicle charging across footways for households without driveway access. He says it will encourage more switching to electric vehicles as part of efforts to cut emissions.
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: Six-month pilot scheme for electric vehicle charging across footways Original release: Boylan welcomes new electric vehicle charging pilot scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party leader warns against SDLP populism to unpick the Climate Act
Green Party leader Mal O'Hara accuses the SDLP of populism over its call to unpick the Climate Act 2022 to fund a road project. He says the SDLP voted to split climate targets and backed Going for Growth, and calls for the money to fund A5 road safety and a Portadown to Derry rail line instead.
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: SDLP call to unpick the Climate Act for A5 road Original release: Green Party leader warns against SDLP populism to unpick the Climate Act (opens in a new tab)
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Green Party leader responds to NI exec's climate action plan
Green Party Leader Mal O'Hara says the Executive's climate action plan is late and lacks ambition, particularly on agriculture and transport, and urges the Minister to act on ICCC recommendations and the All-Island Rail Review.
Environment and climate Agriculture and rural affairs Issue: DAERA draft Climate Action Plan consultation Original release: Green Party leader responds to NI exec's climate action plan (opens in a new tab)
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Climate Action Plan proposals show Muir has learned nothing from NAP…
DUP Deputy Leader and Agriculture Spokesperson Michelle McIlveen MLA criticises DAERA Minister Andrew Muir's draft Climate Action Plan consultation, warning of a £1 billion cost to 2027 and of livestock reductions of 81,000 beef and 25,000 dairy cattle, and urges farmers to respond.
Agriculture and rural affairs Environment and climate Issue: DAERA draft Climate Action Plan consultation Original release: Climate Action Plan proposals show Muir has learned nothing from NAP… (opens in a new tab)
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Newry, Mourne and Down Council backs Alliance motion calling for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
Alliance says Newry, Mourne and Down Council has backed its motion calling for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, making it the first Northern Ireland local authority to do so. Cllr Jill Truesdale and Cllr Cadogan Enright also criticise public subsidies for gas and call for grid investment in…
Environment and climate Local government Issue: Newry, Mourne and Down Council backs Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty motion Original release: Newry, Mourne and Down Council backs Alliance motion calling for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty (opens in a new tab)
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Irish Unity is best defence to climate challenge – Lynn Boylan MEP
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan says a conference in Dublin on climate change and an all-island strategy found broad agreement that Irish unity would best equip the island to meet the climate challenge. Boylan points to Storm Éowyn's cross-border impact as evidence for a joint approach.
Environment and climate Constitutional affairs Issue: Sinn Féin all-island climate change conference in Dublin Original release: Irish Unity is best defence to climate challenge – Lynn Boylan MEP (opens in a new tab)
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Irish unity is best defence to climate challenge – Boylan
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan says a conference in Dublin on climate change across the island found broad agreement that Irish unity offers the best route to meeting the challenge, citing Storm Éowyn's cross-border impact as evidence for an all-island environmental strategy.
Environment and climate Constitutional affairs Original release: Irish unity is best defence to climate challenge – Boylan (opens in a new tab)
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Long welcomes planned delivery of green bus stop roofs scheme
Alliance Lisnasharragh Councillor Michael Long welcomes plans to fit green roofs on bus stop shelters in East Belfast, following installations on the Shankill Road, with further stops on the Castlereagh, Cregagh and Holywood roads due next year.
Environment and climate Infrastructure and transport Issue: Translink green bus stop roofs scheme East Belfast Original release: Long welcomes planned delivery of green bus stop roofs scheme (opens in a new tab)
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Executive Parties are ‘Climate Chancers’ - Green Party leader
Green Party leader says the Executive parties are "climate chancers", but the release text provided contains only a press contact line and no further detail on the specific policy or decision involved.
Environment and climate Public finance and taxation Original release: Executive Parties are ‘Climate Chancers’ - Green Party leader (opens in a new tab)
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McReynolds welcomes positive report findings on attitudes to electric vehicles
Alliance infrastructure spokesperson Peter McReynolds MLA welcomes a 2022/23 Continuous Household Survey finding that a third of respondents would seriously weigh an e-vehicle for their next purchase. He calls for faster rollout of public EV charge points, warning Northern Ireland is falling…
Infrastructure and transport Environment and climate Issue: 2022/23 Continuous Household Survey electric vehicle attitudes findings Original release: McReynolds welcomes positive report findings on attitudes to electric vehicles (opens in a new tab)
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Review of net zero measures a sensible approach
DUP MP Ian Paisley backs the UK Government's move to revisit some of its net zero targets, arguing that rising living costs mean households cannot be expected to bear the expense of climate measures now. He says reviewing pace is reasonable while still wanting emissions reduction kept on track…
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: UK Government review of net zero targets Original release: Review of net zero measures a sensible approach (opens in a new tab)
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Act now to capitalise on green economy opportunity says Eastwood
Alliance MLA Sorcha Eastwood calls for faster public investment and streamlined planning on green energy after a CBI analysis on the UK green economy. She says Northern Ireland is falling behind while the DUP boycott blocks governance, and urges action on grid upgrades and green skills.
Environment and climate Economy and employment Issue: CBI analysis on UK green economy opportunity Original release: Act now to capitalise on green economy opportunity says Eastwood (opens in a new tab)
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Every NI council needs a green new deal, says Alexander
Alliance council candidate Robbie Alexander calls for every Northern Ireland council to create a green new deal to tackle climate change, citing carbon-neutral council facilities, ending single-use plastics, safe cycle lanes and living wage employment. The call comes ahead of Alliance's local…
Environment and climate Local government Original release: Every NI council needs a green new deal, says Alexander (opens in a new tab)
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SDLP: Everyone has a part to play in fighting climate emergency
SDLP climate spokesperson Gary McKeown says everyone, from governments and large firms to households, must share responsibility ahead of Earth Day 2023, urging councils to use recycling, pollution controls and planning for biodiversity. SDLP active travel spokesperson Simon Lee calls for…
Environment and climate Local government Original release: SDLP: Everyone has a part to play in fighting climate emergency (opens in a new tab)
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Lack of dedicated retrofitting programme for solid fuel households a risk to public health – Darren O’Rourke TD
Sinn Féin climate spokesperson Darren O'Rourke TD urges the government to revise its National Retrofit Plan with specific targets for solid-fuel-heated homes, citing a cross-border study linking air pollution to up to 1,000 early deaths yearly. He proposes €50m for a dedicated retrofit scheme.
Environment and climate Health Issue: Cross-border air pollution and mortality assessment on solid fuel burning Original release: Lack of dedicated retrofitting programme for solid fuel households a risk to public health – Darren O’Rourke TD (opens in a new tab)