Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA has welcomed the launch of a public consultation on the draft Northern Ireland Peatland Strategy 2021-2040. Peatlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth, yet our peatlands remain under threat. Locally, they face pressures such as overgrazing, drainage and burning, causing damage to 86 per cent of them. […]
Urgent action is required to prevent further repeats of fish kills after a reported incident at Three Mile Water, Alliance South Antrim MLA John Blair has said. The Environment spokesperson was speaking after requesting agreement from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to investigate the incident, which took in his South Antrim […]
Alliance Strangford representatives have welcomed the recent withdrawal of a planning application to redevelop Tullynagardy Wood in Newtownards. Councillor Nick Mathison – newly selected constituency representative – and Kellie Armstrong MLA want to see the ancient woodland protected after it was recently subjected to a planning application for car parking and vehicular access, with the […]
A Green New Deal for Northern Ireland could help our society avoid repeating the effects of the COVID crisis, Alliance MLA Andrew Muir has said. The North Down MLA was speaking after the Assembly backed an Alliance motion calling for the Executive to introduce such a policy. It would tackle the climate emergency through transforming […]
The creation of a Green New Deal covering areas such as the environment, economy and infrastructure is vital if Northern Ireland is to recover from the pandemic, Alliance MLA John Blair has said. Mr Blair was speaking ahead of an Assembly debate tomorrow (Monday) calling for the introduction of a Green New Deal by the […]
We cannot repeat mistakes seen throughout the pandemic when it comes to tackling the climate emergency, Alliance Environment spokesperson John Blair MLA has said. Mr Blair was speaking after the latest stage of the Climate Change Bill in the Assembly, which has been co-sponsored by Alliance alongside the other main parties except the DUP. He […]
The creation of 50,000 new jobs over the next decade would help Northern Ireland move towards a sustainable and green economy, Alliance Leader Naomi Long MLA has said. The call comes as the party launches its Alliance Green New Deal, a major policy document designed to tackle not only the climate emergency but a range […]
The DUP needs to explain its apparent U-turn on the proposed waste incinerator in South Antrim, Alliance MLA John Blair has said. Mr Blair’s call came after DUP South Antrim MP Paul Girvan, who vocally opposed the controversial plans, was revealed to be calling for the project to now be approved, in a letter to […]
Alliance South Antrim MLA John Blair has called for the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to take more action and increase penalties for illegal dumping. Mr Blair said areas in his constituency such as Randalstown and Mallusk have seen an increase of illegal dumping during the lockdown period. In recent correspondence with […]