SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has said that latest report from the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) underlines the need for the Executive to protect the natural environment.
The OEP report said the pressures facing nature were unsustainable.
Said the Foyle MLA: “The release of today’s report from the OEP highlights in grave detail the threats facing biodiversity across Northern Ireland.
“It lays bare the devastating impact of widespread pollution, land use change and consumption of natural resources. Doing nothing is not an option, our economy and the health and wellbeing of our people is dependent on a healthy resilient environment.
“We need to move away from warm words and platitudes, towards specific, ambitious and funded plans to address the issues at hand.
“The Executive’s track record here is less than inspiring focusing on style over substance and optics over delivery, evidenced by the fact that they are at risk of breaching their own legal obligations for water quality.
“A fact we made abundantly clear to the Assembly as part of our Opposition Day today.
“In that context it’s deeply disappointing that the other Executive parties teamed up with the DUP to water down our motion calling for a River Basement Management Plan which would go some way to addressing existing issues around water quality and biodiversity loss.
“The Minister is failing to tackle these problems and it’s telling that when the SDLP Opposition highlights this his party teams up with their Executive colleagues to duck and dive from responsibility.
“I am currently working on a private members bill to address biodiversity loss including targets enshrined in law for nature recovery and to protect our natural environment for future generations.
“The SDLP is determined to do everything we can to reverse the harm that’s been caused and will continue to step up when the Executive falters on something as important as this.”
Tags: