Infrastructure projects not incompatible with climate change targets – Muir

The delivery of major infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland is not incompatible with climate change legislation, Environment Minister Andrew Muir has said.

Mr Muir also said he would not turn his back on climate targets as a DUP MLA said they were “unachievable”.

During ministerial question time, Mr Muir faced questioning over a ruling from Belfast High Court last week which quashed an Executive decision to proceed with the A5 road upgrade.

The judge said the proposed £1.2 billion road scheme breached sections of Stormont’s Climate Change Act, which binds departments to meeting targets of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

There have been more than 50 deaths on the A5, which links Londonderry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006.

DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said the minister “cared so much about climate change emissions and targets” that his department “didn’t actually input into the A5”.

She asked Mr Muir if he accepted climate change targets are “causing real problems” and asked if he would commit to urgently looking at the legislation.

Mr Muir told the Assembly that climate change is a “real issue”.

He said: “It is something this Assembly cared about because it endorsed unanimously at final reading that legislation back in 2022.

“That is a legislative obligation set out by this Assembly.

“These are legal obligations set out in law.”

He added: “If you want to take a step back and understand why we’re in the situation we’re in, when this legislation was passed in March 2022 your party (DUP) walked out of this place.

“You downed tools and these institutions did not sit for two years.

“You didn’t allow us to progress the climate change legislation. If we were able to do that, the carbon budgets would have been set a long time ago, a climate action plan would have been consulted and in place, a climate commissioner would have been in place and a just transition commission would have been in place.”

DUP MLA Paul Frew said: “Will he now urge his party and this Assembly to row back on unachievable climate change targets that are highly damaging to the people of Northern Ireland, as seen in the A5 project?”

The minister said: “What I am focused on is delivery, not turning my back on climate action in Northern Ireland.”

SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan asked the minister if he had met with the previous infrastructure minister, John O’Dowd, over how the A5 project might achieve its climate obligations.

Mr Muir said: “Delivery of major infrastructure projects and climate legislation is not incompatible.

“What you need is a whole of Executive approach towards decarbonisation.

“Everyone needs to play their part in regards to this.”