Northern Ireland needs “courage and leadership” to catch up on climate change

Northern Ireland will need “courage and leadership” to catch up with efforts to tackle climate change, the chair of the Climate Change Committee has warned.

Nigel Topping is spending two days in Northern Ireland on a fact-finding mission to hear from farmers, business representatives, politicians and others about the challenges and opportunities linked to climate action.

Northern Ireland can be “agile and innovative”

Mr Topping said Northern Ireland was a small country that could be “agile and innovative” in tackling issues including increasing renewable energy, improving waste management and reducing emissions.

However, he warned that failing to act would mean missing opportunities to innovate, expending more energy and compromising children’s health.

The Climate Change Committee is an independent body that advises the UK and local governments on emissions targets.

Climate action and Northern Ireland’s complex politics

Mr Topping acknowledged that Northern Ireland’s politics are “complex” and influence investment decisions and people’s choices.

“If the situation were reversed it would be hopeless,” he said.

He said there was nevertheless a “real desire to collectively catch up” and avoid leaving anyone behind on the path to net zero.

“There were delays where there was no policy because ministers were not sitting. Civil servants were working, but there was no policy,” he said.

“A just transition process must be a dialogue”

Mr Topping said progress would require action across society and warned against allowing climate change discussions to become polarised.

“It will take real courage and leadership from all sectors of society to ensure that a just transition process is a dialogue and that it does not simply fade into polarized opinions in different corners of the room,” he said.