Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland

photo of Belfast from the air, with sunset

A clean and safe future for Northern Ireland

A healthy environment, happy communities, and worthwhile jobs: this is our vision for Northern Ireland.

People should have shared access to nature. And our resources should be managed fairly.

We believe these things are critical if we're to build a peaceful society.

A group of people on a beach with No Gas Cavern signs

No Gas Caverns under Larne Lough

We're supporting No Gas Caverns, a community group fighting to defend their wildlife from plans to dig out 7 huge chambers under the sea, resulting in a super salty "dead-zone" where nothing could live, in a marine protected area near Islandmagee.

Together we're going to court in Belfast for a judicial review of the decision to approve the caverns.

No Gas Caverns

A crowd of people smiling, one sitting on a tractor.

Get involved and take action

Come and join us and your local community at events, from workshops and talks to film showings and protests.

You can also take action by signing petitions asking for action in local communities across Northern Ireland.

Events in Northern Ireland

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Student holding a placard saying This isn't what we meant by hot girl summer.

Helping young people become campaigners

People Planet Place supports marginalised young people from across Northern Ireland to develop the skills, confidence and relationships needed to tackle the climate and nature crises.

If you're aged 16 to 25, live in Northern Ireland and want to learn community campaigning skills, join us!

Learn community campaigning skills

Environmental facts about Northern Ireland

1.5 million

tonnes of sand a year are unlawfully extracted from Lough Neagh

45%

of electricity used in Northern Ireland comes from renewables

24,000

jobs could be created by refurbishing thousands of homes in Northern Ireland

80%

of Northern Ireland's transport budget is spent on roads

90%

of protected sites are badly damaged by agricultural pollution

A woman visiting one of our local group stalls during the Big Ask campaign calling for a UK climate change law

Find a group in your community

Find out where your nearest local action group in Northern Ireland is, and get in touch.

If there isn't one, consider starting a new one.

And if you're already part of a social justice or environmental community group, join forces with us.

photo of Belfast, Northern Ireland, from Black Mountain

Northern Ireland's challenges

Northern Ireland's air, water and soils are in a bad way.

We have the least protected environment in the UK and Ireland. It's a real worry for the 1.8m people living here and the many important wildlife sites in the country.

Northern Ireland has no independent Environmental Protection Agency. No National Parks. No law to cut climate-changing emissions. The planning system leans heavily towards new development. And communities have too little say.

We're going to change this.

Lough Neagh: space to breathe

Lough Neagh is one of Northern Ireland’s most precious wildlife sites. It's supposed to be protected under international, European, and Northern Ireland law. Yet it's in a dire state – water quality is poor, and birds and fish are disappearing.

It's difficult to pinpoint all the causes. But one suspect stands out: unlawful sand dredging. Some companies are sucking out sand from the lough without planning permission or environmental assessment.

We won against the dredging in the courts. But the government allows it to go on. We won't stop fighting. If we can’t save such a designated protected site, then nowhere is safe.

Why is Lough Neagh dying?

A farmer in a field of crops and piglets

Real food, real farming, real future

Northern Ireland needs a farming system that is good for farmers, produces healthy food, and protects the environment. Instead we have farmers at breaking point, industrial pig factories, and polluted rivers.

Look behind the stereotypical green image of our country and you’ll find something much less wholesome. This is Northern Ireland’s dirty secret – rivers and lakes choking, fragile habitats polluted, and plummeting air quality.

Watch PIG Business to see the impact of factory pig farming.

We welcome the investigation into guidance on ammonia emissions from farms by the Office for Environmental Protection.

Aerial photo of Cacancaw gold mine, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland

Extractive industries in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has a problem with unlawful and poorly regulated mines and quarries – from basalt in the Antrim plateau, to limestone from Fermanagh, and sand from Lough Neagh. Now international corporations have come looking for gold, lead, and oil and gas, and our most precious places are at risk.

We’re working with frontline communities to protect their countryside from exploitation and pollution. Support them by adding your name to our petition.

Fossil Free Northern Ireland

Worldwide, 800 financial institutions have pulled money out of fossil fuel companies – heaping growing pressure on them to stop drilling for more coal, oil and gas.

We're campaigning to get the Northern Ireland pension fund to take its money out of fossil fuels too. The fund has almost £350m in companies like Shell and BP.

Please write to your councillor today to ask them to support the campaign to get the Northern Ireland Pension Fund to go fossil-free.

And if you want to get more involved, see our campaign page on Facebook.

photo of fruit and veg stalls at St George's Market, Belfast

Nature and people first

We're working with people across the counties to protect the things we all care about: flourishing nature, clean air, real food, and healthy communities. Together we can get Northern Ireland:

an environmental protection agency that has the freedom to do its job properly
a Climate Change Act that cuts pollution and creates clean jobs
a planning system fit for people and nature
strong environmental laws.

photo of Stormont, home of the Northern Ireland Assembly

Where are the environmental safeguards?

Northern Ireland is bad at protecting its environment. Companies are more or less free to damage our air, water and soil. We're sacrificing our health and livelihoods, including tourism.

Brexit only raises the stakes. Without strong environmental laws, the border with the Republic of Ireland could become a dumping ground for polluting industries after we leave the EU.

We need an independent Environmental Protection Agency – and an environmental court with the freedom and expertise to challenge bad decisions.

Birds fly above Lough Neagh as the sun sets, casting an orange sky

Planning for People and Place

Planning can be confusing and intimidating. If only there were somewhere you could go to learn how the planning system works. There is. Planning for People and Place.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland runs workshops and training on all aspects of the planning system. We cut through the jargon and give you the tools you need to defend the places you love from unwanted development. Experts in law and planning are on hand to answer your questions and offer advice.

Come along to the workshops and learn the skills you need to protect your environment.

Northern Ireland office location screenshot from Google Maps

Our team

Friends of the the Earth Northern Ireland is led by Director James Orr, and supported by:

Campaign Coordinator Colette Stewart
Campaigner Declan Allison
Activism and Community Campaigns Officer Deborah McLaughlin
Lawyer Laura Neal.

Click on the names above to email each individual, or use the central office contact details below.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland, Gordon House, 22-24 Lombard Street, Belfast BT1 1RD

028 9023 3488

[email protected]

Latest on Northern Ireland

photo of trees on banks of Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland

Lough Neagh: why Europe's wildlife jewel needs space to breathe

14 Feb 2018

Lough Neagh, the biggest freshwater lake in Britain or Ireland, once teemed with fish and bird life. James Orr shares his love for a natural wonder that needs our help.

Nature