Irresponsible, there’s a word.
And I totally agree with Hilary Benn, all the wildlife, environmental charities and Northern Ireland’s former top civil servant in their alarm about the danger the Retained EU Bill poses to our future health and that of our natural environment.
We already know the out of touch Tories don’t have a clue about our everyday lives as most struggle to make ends meet amid a cost of living crisis, they did nothing to avoid with their repeated failing to deliver ‘green stuff’ like home insulation and cheaper renewables.
Read more: Former top civil servant warns of danger Retained EU Law Bill poses environment
Rivers and lakes are already being polluted to within an inch of their lives, we have more toxins in our air than the WHO recommends, one in two of are now told we could get cancer and nature is falling into oblivion.
Yet all they seem to care about is ‘getting Brexit done’ despite the havoc it has wreaked and now, setting fire to any EU remaining laws that gave us an inkling of protection that could save us from even more scathing assaults on what we have left.
Northern Ireland’s ghost government, meanwhile, stands in the shadows unable to do a thing about it. I’m raging and you should be too.
Already we have an environmental department, whose own reports show how they are failing us on an annual basis.
And each and everyone of us should care because even if you don’t get the nature, climate and biodiversity thing - these crises are coming for all of us.
What will we do when hundreds more die from avoidable air pollution, more get sick because they dared to go swimming in once pure wild waters and when the last of our curlews, take their final breath, adding to another species our actions have wiped out.
The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill discussed at Parliament on Wednesday is scary stuff. First and foremost because it shows we really are on our own against the lunatics running the country.
It heard recently that the EU won’t be taking any more cases against authorities in Northern Ireland when they’ve failed to follow the law and that in itself is worrying. But this Bill also means, Parliament won’t even get a say on what laws are ditched.
REUL, as it’s called, allows Ministers to make decisions without even consulting the House of Commons.
We all saw how it went when the Conservatives gave all their mates the PPE contracts.
If this Bill passes Royal Assent it will give the very same party’s ministers the right to do away with everything from employment rights to environmental protections and equal rights if they decide to.
ALARM BELLS should be ringing in each and every ear across the UK.
All sorts of scenarios (made up for the purpose of this column) spring to mind. Imagine a Tory has a mate who wants to build all over the top of a newt habitat even though it’s currently illegal - a quick word and the Habitats Directive is gone.
Then imagine, they’ve decided water companies no longer need to treat sewage at all and our biggest emitters can pollute as much as they want.
Bye, bye to the EU Water Framework Directive and National Emission Ceilings Regulations if they have their way.
In truth, this Bill risks over 1,000 pieces of legislation that protect us, our health, our wellbeing and the nature underpins it all.
UK Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas, said: “It’s hard to put into words just how reckless & dangerous this proposed legislation is - scrapping over 1000 pieces of environment law before having any clue about what to replace them with - and with no say by MPs.”
In truth it really could usher in an era of increased water pollution, air pollution, weaken nature protection and chemical regulation - it could even mean and end to the rules that protect kids toys from toxins - and it gives complete control to the party that wrecked the UK. And it could have immense implications for the climate crisis.
“The government is frustrating every step to a future of a healthier planet and healthy people,” said Lib Dem Wera Hobhouse.
Wildlife and Countryside Link called it an “economic and environmental wrecking ball” with new figures suggesting the full costs of weakened nature protections could costs the UK £82 billion over the next 30 years.
The Scottish Government has strongly opposed the Bill, calling it a “deregulatory race to the bottom” and the Welsh Government has labelled it a “power grab”.
I agree with Craig Bennett, chief executive of The Wildlife Trusts, when he says “everything about this appalling, anti-democratic and unconstitutional bill is wrong”.
And it’s an absolute disgrace that it passed its third reading with 297 votes for to 238 against, with a key amendment requiring the Government to publish the list of laws they planned to revoke three months before the “sunset date” to allow parliament to amend them, was defeated.
Priority species list update
The Northern Ireland priority species list update is due to be released this February.
Our current list of in decline species includes creatures, plants and sea life that span everything from birds to bees, ants, beetles, butterflies, moths, fish, crustaceans, fungi, lichen, liverworts and even mosses.
Mammals on that list include brown long-eared bats, humpback whales, otters, the common seal and the Irish hare and every one of them could do with people keeping an eye out for their wellbeing.
The current list, which has not been updated in over a decade, also includes freshwater pearl mussels, minke whales, Heath snails and pine martens, starlings and otters among over 480 plants, insects and animals that need our protection.
I fear this year’s list will be much longer - but it’s definitely time government departments and authorities started doing everything they can to conserve them all.
Winds of change are blowing
One thing I am very happy about this week, is the announcement from the Department for the Economy and The Crown Estate that they are working towards offshore renewables in Northern Ireland.
The authorities announced their statement of intent alongside ambitions to power one million homes with wind by 2023.
About time, I say, as it’s both good news for the environment and our electricity bills.
The only thing I would be concerned about is the type of developments they will push through - as floating turbines appear to cause less havoc for marine life than those fixed to the seabed.
I wouldn’t have total faith in the powers that be to do all they can to protect marine life in this wee place.
Consider the plans to store gas under Larne Lough which we know will create a dead zone near a nature reserve for a start.
For now, however, I will take all the good news I can and try to remain hopeful they finally get something totally right.
Well done on this positive move towards futureproof energy.
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