Thread by @BelTel

DUP Minister @edwinpootsmla talks about juggling the demands of both the environment and agriculture as @BelTel kicks off a week-long series on the #climatecrisis 🌍 and how it affects Northern Ireland.

@FrankieHargan explains 👇

#climateni

@edwinpootsmla @FrankieHargan Northern Ireland is the only country in Western Europe without climate change legislation, but Edwin Poots hopes to see his climate bill passed in the next two weeks.

#climateni

Edwin Poots claims that supporting a separate bill tabled by Green Party NI leader @ClareBaileyGPNI "would have led to a loss of 13,000 jobs to the farming community".

Edwin Poots is a proponent of ‘blue hydrogen’ which NI can harness from its agricultural sector, but critics say blue hydrogen is not a clean energy source.

#ClimateCrisis

belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/environme…

Due to the scale of the farming industry in Northern Ireland, ammonia levels are high. "I still wish to publish the ammonia strategy before I leave office in March", Edwin Poots tells @BelTel.

#climateni

On banning coal to reduce air pollution, Edwin Poots says: “I could take you to hundreds of homes in my constituency, where if people didn’t have a coal fire in conjunction with other heating, their house wouldn’t be warm enough to live in."

#climateni

Edwin Poots highlights the need for “substantial investment” in NI Water infrastructure. "The combined sewer and drainage water system, when there are heavy rainfalls, that ends up with raw sewage getting into our waterways is not acceptable going forward."

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You can read @edwinpootsmla's full interview from our Environment in Focus series here 🌍 👇

#climateni

belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/environme…