Image via DAERA

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has today published Northern Ireland’s first Annual Progress Report on the Environmental Improvement Plan.

The report provides the first assessment of what has been achieved by the Department and across government since Northern Ireland’s first Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) was launched in September 2024.

The EIP is structured around six Strategic Environmental Outcomes (SEOs):

• Excellent Air, Water and Land Quality
• Healthy and Accessible Landscapes Everyone Can Connect With & Enjoy
• Thriving, Resilient & Connected Nature & Wildlife
• Sustainable Production & Consumption on Land & at Sea
• Zero Waste & Highly Developed Circular Economy
• Net Zero GHG Emissions & Improved Climate Resilience & Adaptability

The report demonstrates progress across all six SEOs, while acknowledging the scale of the challenge and the need for accelerated action to meet a number of commitments.

Delivery in the first year has included strengthened environmental monitoring through the introduction of the Outcome Indicator Framework. It provides a consistent and transparent means of monitoring environmental change across all six SEOs for the first time, which will enable comparison of progress in future years.

Other significant achievements include publishing the Third Cycle River Basin Management Plan and improvements in marine protection, with 38% of inshore waters now designated as Marine Protected Areas.

Nature restoration in the form of 453 hectares of peatland and over 500 hectares of new woodland has also added to the progress made over the past year.

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