Northern Ireland is known for its beautiful natural environment; long coastlines, rolling hills and the UK’s largest body of fresh water, Lough Neagh.
Unfortunately, however, Northern Ireland’s natural environment isn’t as untouched as it might appear. Northern Ireland has a problem with dirty air. Air pollution causes 900 deaths a year and negatively affects the lives of thousands. Worryingly, Belfast emits the second highest amount of PM2.5 - a particularly damaging type of air pollution – per population in the whole of the UK.
We need to do something to change this, and quick. As you know, there is no safe level of air pollution to breathe in. People with lung conditions are particularly vulnerable to the impact of toxic air. Exposure to air pollution can also lead to the development of lung conditions.
Air pollution is a public health crisis – and a natural environment crisis.
Stop, collaborate and listen
A drive to improve air quality and restore Northern Ireland’s natural heritage has brought together Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Northern Ireland (RSPB NI), and Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) politician Mark H Durkan, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Foyle (MLA).
As part of the joint campaign, Mark has sponsored a private members bill (PMB) in the Assembly. The resurrected PMB seeks to put in place statutory protection for our nature and to promote public health in Northern Ireland.
We want to promote the following objectives:
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Put in place new legislation to halt and reverse biodiversity loss on land and sea and promote public health
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Secure legally binding targets to halt the decline of nature across Northern Ireland
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Secure legally binding targets to improve air quality and reduce pollution
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Establish an independent environment protection agency to uphold the law and give the environment and citizens a voice
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Work closely with other governments to address shared environmental issues and challenges
The proposed PMB is currently out to public consultation, with responses welcomed up to the deadline of 2 May 2025.
Looking forward
There is a real sense of urgency around the need to tackle our global climate emergency and there is a significant level of support for change in Northern Ireland.
But we need the Stormont Executive to change laws to better support our environment.
Asthma + Lung UK Northern Ireland continue to work closely with RSPB NI and Mark H Durkan MLA during this consultation. We recently presented the PMB to the All Party Group on Climate Action and are holding workshops as part of the consultation. We are positive that the Speaker will proceed with the PMB and we look forward to working with the government on laying out the details of the Bill.
Find out more about the threats to Northern Ireland's natural environment and the importance of taking action to protect it.
Join the conversation
To keep up to date with all our work in Northern Ireland, follow us on X @asthmalungni and Bluesky @asthmalungni.bsky.social