Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that the Council, at its meeting on 2nd November, had passed the following motion on a Clean Air Strategy for Northern Ireland, which had been proposed by Councillor O’Hara and seconded by Councillor Groogan:

“This Council recognises our failure to meet European Union legal limits on air pollution values despite significant progress made over recent years. The World Health Organisation and the UK Government recognise that air pollution is the largest environmental health risk we face today. The Council recognises that air pollution leads to between 28,000 and 36,000 early deaths each year in the UK. The Council also recognises that medical evidence is mounting around the dangerous link between Covid-19 and air pollution.

The Belfast Agenda aims for Belfast to be a city which is vibrant, attractive, connected and environmentally sustainable, where everyone experiences good health and wellbeing. In order to achieve that vision, we must address air pollution. This Council already supports adopting the more stringent World Health Organisation air pollution limits where appropriate and has moved ahead with the first detailed assessment of air pollution sources across this city since 2010 with the welcome support from the Department. Our ambition for Clean Air Zones in the city cannot be achieved without enabling legislation from the Assembly. This Council passed a motion supporting more stringent targets and ambition for Clean Air Zones in September 2019 and has included addressing air pollution in our corporate priorities. The Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs has committed to bringing forward a ‘Clean Air Strategy discussion document’ which is a roll back from previous commitments in response to Assembly questions. Further delay will lead to continuing early deaths and ongoing breaches of the EU legal limits.

The Council also recognises that deprived communities are more likely to suffer from the impact of air pollution, and accordingly also recognises this issue as a class issue, impacted by socioeconomic inequalities.

The Council, therefore, agrees to write to the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs requesting the immediate development of a Clean Air Strategy for Northern Ireland, rather than a discussion document which further delays progress on addressing harmful air pollution in the City.”

            The City Solicitor informed the Committee that a response had now been received from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs.

            The Minister had welcomed the Council’s interest in the development of the first Clean Air Strategy for Northern Ireland and its commitment to protecting public health. He had pointed out that both he and his officials shared the Council’s concerns around the environmental health risks created by air pollution and that they were working to develop an effective strategy which would deliver meaningful improvements in air quality across Northern Ireland. They also supported the Council’s detailed assessment of Nitrogen Oxide and particulate matter within Belfast and had offered £125,000 in this financial year to assist with that project.

            He had then addressed the call within the Council motion for the immediate development of a Clean Air Strategy for Northern Ireland, rather than a discussion document. He explained that air quality was a complex and cross-cutting issue and that it was influenced by policy across government through, for example, agriculture, domestic heating, industry and transport. The impacts of poor air quality could be felt across our society and had consequences for health, the environment and the economy. He had, therefore, adopted a two-stage approach for the development of the Strategy. In the first stage, a discussion document, which presented an-depth analysis of air quality in Northern Ireland and set out currently policy and evidence, had been launched for a twelve week consultation period on 23rd November. The document sought views on a wide range of matters relating to air quality and had included a series of questions aimed at promoting discussion around air quality issues. It was envisaged that issues relating to Clean Air Zones, World Health Organisation standards and socio-economic deprivation would be raised, which the Minister welcomed. However, the document did not set out policy options or articulate a particular policy position. 

The public consultation would, he had pointed out, help to identify gaps in current policy, contribute to developing effective outcome-based measures aimed at reducing levels of air pollution across Northern Ireland and provide an opportunity for stakeholders to put forward suggestions.

            The Minister had gone on to state that, in the second stage, all responses received as part of the consultation would be reviewed and a range of proposals would be formulated. Once he had decided upon a policy direction, officials would begin the process of drafting the first Clean Air Strategy for Northern Ireland. The Strategy would be more focused and shorter than the discussion document and would contain specific proposals around policy and other measures to improve air quality. It would, he added, be subject to additional public consultation and, due to the cross-cutting nature of the policy area, would require Executive approval.

            The Minister had stressed that the adoption of a two stage approach for the development of the Clean Air Strategy, based upon an analysis of the evidence, assessment of current policy and stakeholder views, would ensure that it received stakeholder buy in. Rather than delaying the process, this ongoing, thorough best practice approach would result in an effective Clean Air Strategy which would deliver positive improvements in air quality for Northern Ireland. He had concluded by encouraging the Council to review the discussion document and by stating that he would welcome its response.

            The Committee noted the information which had been provided.