Press release

A programme for poor government

18 November 2011

The Programme for Government has failed to address many of the issues that Friends of the Earth has been campaigning on - the Green New Deal; a strengthened planning system; legally binding greenhouse gas reduction targets; and an independent environmental protection agency. Commenting on the Programme for Government, Friends of the Earth Director James Orr said:

"We looked long and hard at this Programme for Government to see if it would address the big issues facing Northern Ireland and found only disappointment. If this document is setting out the Government's work programme it looks like the next four years will be wasted years, and Northern Ireland will be left behind in the new global low carbon economy."

"With rocketing fuel prices we will be unable to avoid rising fuel poverty, transport poverty and food poverty unless we fundamentally change direction. This is why we were astounded to see no tangible support for the Green New Deal. The Executive could have signalled a step change in its support for energy efficiency measures and supported a huge increase in clean green natural energy, but we find only empty rhetoric."

Commenting on the commitment to raise the target for greenhouse gas reductions from 25% to 35% by 2025 he added :

"The Executive seems to have plucked figures from the sky - 35% by 2025 is only a small step in the direction we need to take and falls far short of where the science tells us we need to be to avoid very serious climate change.  Without committing to a strong climate change act any further reductions in greenhouse gases will not be guaranteed. This contrasts starkly with Scotland, England and Wales - countries that not only have much more ambitious targets but a route map on how to achieve them"

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
7 Donegall Street Place
BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: foe-ni@foe.co.uk.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust