Northern Ireland Unveils Landmark Environmental Principles Policy Statement

Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has officially published its Environmental Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) today, November 20, 2025. This significant document aims to embed environmental considerations deeply into all government policy development and delivery, ensuring consistent evaluation of environmental impacts and proactive damage prevention, as reported by vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com.

The EPPS fulfills a statutory duty mandated by the UK Environment Act 2021, which requires the integration of five key environmental principles into domestic law. This move is designed to guide policymakers across all government departments in Northern Ireland, according to DAERA.

Minister Andrew Muir expressed his satisfaction with the publication, stating his delight in bringing forward the EPPS. He emphasized that environmental principles, such as prevention and "polluter pays," should be central to policy decisions, not an afterthought, as noted by vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com.

The UK Environment Act 2021 established a new legal framework for environmental governance following the UK's departure from the European Union, as detailed by Ashurst in December 2021. This Act replaced previous EU guidelines and applies to both England and Northern Ireland.

The five core environmental principles embedded in the EPPS include the integration of environmental protection into policymaking, preventative action, the precautionary principle, rectification of damage at source, and the "polluter pays" principle. These principles are intended to guide ministers and departments in making environmentally sound decisions, according to Waste Mission in October 2025.

Once finalized, Northern Ireland departments and UK Government ministers making policy for Northern Ireland will have a statutory duty to give "due regard" to this statement. This means they must consider the EPPS when developing policies, ensuring environmental protection and enhancement are prioritized, as explained by the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) in September 2023.

The development of the EPPS involved extensive cross-departmental engagement and a public consultation process last year, with feedback incorporated into the final draft. The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) also provided crucial advice to strengthen the statement, as reported by vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com and the OEP itself.

• The UK Environment Act 2021, which received Royal Assent in November 2021, serves as the foundational legislation for the EPPS. This Act was designed to create a robust legal framework for environmental governance in the UK post-Brexit, covering areas such as air quality, biodiversity, water management, and waste reduction, as highlighted by Ashurst.

• The "due regard" duty imposed by the EPPS means that policymakers must genuinely consider the environmental principles, rather than treating it as a mere "tick-box exercise." The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) emphasized in September 2023 that the statement should be disseminated effectively and integrated from the outset of policymaking to ensure meaningful application.

• The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) plays a critical oversight role in Northern Ireland, having extended its remit to the region in February 2022, as confirmed by DAERA. The OEP monitors the implementation of environmental law, scrutinizes environmental improvement plans, and advises departments, ensuring accountability for public authorities, according to a March 2022 report.

• The draft EPPS underwent a public consultation, which closed in December 2024, allowing for stakeholder input. In August 2023, the OEP provided detailed recommendations to DAERA on how to strengthen the draft, advocating for clearer definitions and a more impactful application of the principles, as detailed by the OEP.

• Northern Ireland faces significant environmental challenges, with research from the Natural History Museum and RSPB indicating that it ranks 12th worst globally for remaining nature, and a high percentage of species at risk of extinction, as noted by NIEL's Nature and Environmental Protection Group. The EPPS aligns with Northern Ireland's Climate Change Act 2022 and the Green Growth Strategy, aiming to address these issues.

• While the UK Environment Act 2021 applies to both England and Northern Ireland, each devolved administration can legislate individually for environmental principles. England's Environmental Principles Policy Statement came into force on November 1, 2023, as reported by cieem in November 2023, preceding Northern Ireland's publication.

• The EPPS will now be laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly for scrutiny, a crucial step before its full implementation. Following this, the statutory duty for NI departments and UK Government ministers to have due regard to the statement will commence six months after the final version is published, according to NI Direct Citizen Space.