Note: this page refers to activities specific to the implementation of the CBD in Northern Ireland. A separate page provides information on activities relevant to the implementation of the CBD across the UK, including those of relevance to Northern Ireland.
Relevant Government Bodies
Environmental issues, including biodiversity conservation and management, have broadly been devolved from the UK Government to the Northern Ireland Executive. Within the Northern Ireland Executive the following Executive and Public Bodies lead on the implementation of the CBD in Northern Ireland:
- Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is the lead department for biodiversity and conservation matters.
- An integral part of DAERA is the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, an Executive Agency which leads on environmental management and regulation for the terrestrial environment.
- Marine and Fisheries Division leads on environmental management and regulation of the marine environment.
- Forest Service is also an Executive Agency of DAERA, and is responsible for protecting forest environments.
- The Council for Nature Conservation and Countryside is a non-departmental public body which independently advises DAERA on biodiversity conservation matters.
Relevant Government Policies
In 2021, the Northern Ireland Executive published its ‘Draft Environment Strategy for Northern Ireland’. This strategy sets out draft policies for how Northern Ireland plans to meet its international obligations and local targets to protect biodiversity. A final version of Northern Ireland’s Environment Strategy is currently under development and when published this will represent Northern Ireland’s first Environmental Improvement Plan. DAERA is the lead Department for ensuring implementation of the strategy. DAERA is also drafting a new Biodiversity Strategy, which will be referred to as the Nature Recovery Strategy and will closely align with the Global Biodiversity Framework, setting out the local targets and actions Northern Ireland can take to help deliver the CBD obligations.
In addition to the Northern Ireland Nature Recovery Strategy, the 'All-Ireland Pollinator Plan' has been developed by a 16-member steering group including DAERA and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
In addition to the Draft Environment Strategy for Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Executive has also published a number of more specific strategies which also contribute to the implementation of the CBD in Northern Ireland. These include:
- Northern Ireland Invasive Alien Species Implementation Plan (revised 2018)
- Draft Green Growth Strategy for Northern Ireland (2021)
- Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme 2019-2024 (2022)
- Draft Northern Ireland Peatland Strategy 2022-2040 (2022)
- Draft Environment Strategy / Northern Ireland Environmental Improvement Plan (In development)
- Forests for our Future Programme (first launched in 2020)
A number of other enabling policies are also in development including an Ammonia strategy, Waste Management Strategy, Clean Air Strategy, Circular Economy Strategy, Marine Plan and Blue Carbon Action Plan, and the Future Agricultural Policy Framework. A Climate Action Plan will also be published every five years, as required by the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.
Reporting
Additional information about biodiversity in Northern Ireland is also available from Biodiversity Northern Ireland.
Annual reporting on the progress towards achieving the Environmental Improvement Plan is required by the Environment Act 2021, as it applies to Northern Ireland.
