DAERA launched a consultation on a Draft Environmental Principles Policy Statement for Northern Ireland. In February 2022 the Northern Ireland Assembly approved the elements of the Environment Act 2021 relating to Northern Ireland devolved matters, including a statutory duty on DAERA to publish a policy statement on environmental principles. This statement is required to incorporate five core environmental principles (in the order set out in the Act):
(a) the principle that environmental protection should be integrated into the making of policies;
(b) the principle of preventative action to avert environmental damage;
(c) the precautionary principle, so far as relating to the environment;
(d) the principle that environmental damage should as a priority be rectified at source; and
(e) the polluter pays principle.
The consultation document can be found here
Our response is available to read here
