Friday, 24 October 2025
Independent Environmental Regulator Recommended for Northern Ireland in New Governance Report A new report has recommended the creation of an independent environmental regulator for Northern Ireland to strengthen oversight and ensure better protection of the region’s environment. The report is the result of a comprehensive review of environmental governance carried out by an independent panel […]
A new report has recommended the creation of an independent environmental regulator for Northern Ireland to strengthen oversight and ensure better protection of the region’s environment.
The report is the result of a comprehensive review of environmental governance carried out by an independent panel commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The panel, comprising Dr. Viviane Gravey, Diane Ruddock, and John McCallister, presented their final recommendations to DAERA Minister Andrew Muir.
The review comes at a time when Northern Ireland is experiencing growing environmental pressures. These challenges are particularly visible in places like Lough Neagh, which has suffered from recurrent blooms of harmful blue-green algae. In launching the report, Dr. Gravey said:
“The signals cannot be ignored. Governance reform is an essential element of our response to the climate and nature crises.”
The panel’s report sets out 32 recommendations grouped under four central themes:
Clarity and coherence
Meaningful independence
Better compliance
Transparency and accountability
A major recommendation is the establishment of a new independent environmental regulator as a non-departmental public body, separate from government. The proposed regulator would have oversight of:
Air and water quality
Waste management
Nature and biodiversity
The marine environment
While the exact scope of the regulator’s powers would need to be defined, the panel emphasized that such a body is crucial for rebuilding public trust and ensuring effective enforcement of environmental regulations.
Other notable recommendations include:
Requiring DAERA to publish a map of environmental governance, showing who is responsible for what and improving public accountability.
Establishing an Environmental Audit Committee within the Northern Ireland Assembly to oversee environmental governance.
Introducing a duty to cooperate for all public authorities with the new regulator.
Making greater use of civil sanctions to enforce compliance.
Ending DAERA’s current SORPI arrangement with NI Water concerning discharges.
The panel engaged widely across Northern Ireland and beyond, drawing on evidence from public consultations, stakeholder meetings, and responses from regulators and experts across the UK and Ireland.
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the report and said he fully accepts the recommendation for an independent regulator.
“The need to press ahead has never been more evident to ensure we better protect our environment for future generations to enjoy,” he said.
The Minister has committed to bringing the proposal to the Executive and addressing the Assembly on next steps in the near future.
The panel views their recommendations as part of a broader effort to reform environmental governance in Northern Ireland.
“We present our report as a ‘call to action’ on behalf of all who want to see a flourishing environment underpinning a thriving society in NI,” Dr. Gravey added.
The report makes clear that addressing environmental challenges requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
With the recommendation for an independent environmental regulator now formally endorsed by the DAERA Minister, the focus shifts to implementation and political momentum. Minister Andrew Muir has pledged to bring the proposal to the Northern Ireland Executive and update the Assembly on next steps, signaling that legislative and administrative action could follow in the near future.
However, establishing a new regulatory body will require careful planning, resourcing, and cross-departmental cooperation. The regulator’s powers, scope, and structure must be clearly defined to avoid duplication and ensure effective integration within Northern Ireland’s existing governance landscape.
Public engagement and continued transparency will also be essential as the process moves forward. As environmental challenges, from water pollution to biodiversity loss, continue to mount, timely and coordinated action will be critical.
The recommendation to establish an independent environmental regulator represents a pivotal moment for environmental governance in Northern Ireland. With 32 practical and evidence-based proposals, the independent panel has outlined a clear path toward greater accountability, transparency, and enforcement.
By endorsing the creation of a regulator, the government has signalled its intent to respond meaningfully to the mounting environmental pressures facing the region. However, as the panel emphasized, true progress will require more than structural reform, it demands a sustained, collective commitment across all sectors of government and society.
If implemented effectively, these reforms could mark the beginning of a more resilient and responsive environmental system, one that protects Northern Ireland’s natural assets and secures a healthier, more sustainable future for generations to come.
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