Our Message to , Dublin, London & Brussels

Victoria Magreehan Lead Advocacy & Communications Group External Affairs Consultant, National Trust Things I’m going to talk about

• Advocacy & Communications Group

• What we’ve been up to – Some of what we’ve been saying – Where we’ve been saying it

• Next steps…. Advocacy & Communications Group

Objectives • Coordinated ‘voice’ of the green NGOs on Brexit related nature, environment and land use issues for • Build momentum amongst other key stakeholder groups to support our key messages and campaign activity • Increase political support for nature so that more decision makers understand and take action to support nature during and post Brexit • Increase public support for nature so that more people understand the issues and advocate for action N/S & E/W Collaboration Things I’m going to talk about

• Advocacy & Communications Group

• What we’ve been up to so far – Some of what we’ve been saying – Where we’ve been saying it

• Next steps…. Christian adams Belfast

• June 2016 : NI Assembly Committee for Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs • Brexit Consultative Committee co‐chaired by the DAERA and Economy Ministers Brexit Consultative Committee

DAERA Minister Michelle McIlveen and Economy Minister chaired the first meeting in Belfast of the Brexit Consultative Committee to engage with representatives of the agri-food and environment sectors. Belfast

• Representation on DAERA Environment Stakeholder Group • Early meetings with others key stakeholder groups UFU, NIFDA, NICVA London

• Submission to House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee Sept 16 • Briefing to the British Irish Parliamentary Assembly Oct 16 • Lots of engagement Greener UK, LINKS, ELUK – papers & events • NI Affairs Select Committee briefing….. NI Affairs Select Committee

‘Enquiry into the future of the land border with RoI’

Messages: • Unique challenge associated with the Northern Ireland/ Republic of Ireland land and sea border ‐ many environmental problems have a strong cross border dimension.

• Importance of EU legislation as THE major driver of environmental protection and improvement in NI

• Common standards, level playing field

• Cooperation on X border issues: Common transboundary framework. The island of Ireland should be considered as a single bio‐geographic unit

• Importance of EU funding for environmental improvement

• Need for NI voice for environmental issues as the details and deals evolve London Delegation

(l‐r: John Martin, RSPB; Rebecca Hunter, Ulster Wildlife; Sean Kelly, NIEL; Victoria Magreehan, NT; Jennifer Fulton, Ulster Wildlife; Patrick Casement, NIEL) Dublin

• Representation at All Island Civic Dialogue on Brexit • X Border Environment & Brexit Conference, June 17 • NIEL Coalition & Environmental Pillar, Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, June 17 Six Areas of Cooperation Agriculture Education Environment Health Tourism & Tourism Ireland Transport Committee Report “the Committee considers that a mechanism should be put in place to ensure the environmental regulation is aligned between Ireland and Northern Ireland and that post‐Brexit, common minimum standards are maintained. This could be reinforced by, for example, access to the Single Market could be dependent on adhering to environmental law standards.”

As Ireland and Northern Ireland share a land border and that following Brexit, UK and EU regulation may fall out‐of‐sync, this may be problematic. As solutions, the Committee believes the following should be explored: • That the Government, Northern Ireland Executive, UK Government and EU partners work together to enable effective long‐term management of the environment; • That the island of Ireland be considered a single bio‐geographic unit post‐Brexit; • That effective mechanisms are put in place to resolve and manage cross‐border environmental issues post‐Brexit; • That minimum common standards and approaches are sought between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and in the context of Northern Ireland, those standards are aligned as closely as possible to Ireland; • That new funding arrangements should be established to replace current sources of EU funding. Our Dublin Delegation

(l‐r: Rebecca Hunter, Ulster Wildlife; Sean Kelly NEIL; John Martin, RSPB; Diane Ruddock, NT; Colum Delaney, RSPB; & photographer Michael Ewing Environmental Pillar) Next Steps

Building political support: • Asks in for briefings with other Dublin and Westminster Committees

• Belfast?

• Brussels: Engagement with Negotiating Team Brussels

Next Steps

• Build momentum, working with other key stakeholder groups

Nature Matters NI • Public Communications Brand for Coalition Working together for a nature friendly Brexit

Social media Get involved….

• Sharing of info : feedback and briefings on Brexit issues you are working on

• Ways you can support our key messages and campaign activity Nature Matters NI

Working together for a nature friendly Brexit

Me: Victoria Magreehan External Affairs, National Trust

Lead for Coalition Advocacy & Communications Group

[email protected] vicmagreehan@LivingNI