“Vital public services such as health, education, policing and infrastructure are under severe financial pressure and crying out for additional funds. The Stormont Assembly needs to prioritise its allocation of public money in these challenging times, rather than waste it.

“The appointment of a Climate Commissioner will be deemed by the general public as a waste of money. The role is estimated to carry a price tag of £1m per year – a fee that the public purse simply cannot afford.”

The Upper Bann MP has also questioned the necessity and viability of the proposed appointment, especially as the Climate Change Committee (CCC) is already functioning and has full responsibility for the whole of the UK, something the MP has also been critical of.

“The Climate Change Act (NI) 2022 was pushed through as a compromise to a more draconian bill which sought to unleash unrealistic demands on farmers and landowners. Now the general consensus of opinion is that the unrealistic targets and price tags associated with it are just unnecessary.

“Farmers are the custodians our of countryside and have been farming in harmony with nature for generations.  They should be seen as part of the solution towards climate and environmental protection, rather than the problem. The majority of farmers are introducing measures to reduce their carbon foot print and contribute to Net Zero goals.

“Strict environmental guidelines and policies have already been implemented and are widely policed by government bodies such as the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).”

Ms Lockhart added: “Adding another tier to the chain of command with the appointment of a Climate Commissioner, would introduce increased bureaucracy and inevitably put extra financial burdens on farmers. Our fully fledged government bodies need to be accountable and work collectively with each other, and the farming community, to fulfil obligations and mitigate against negative environmental impact, such as the ecological degradation of Lough Neagh.

“The reality is that we cannot make a meaningful difference and save the world by ourselves. To make a real difference, other countries around the globe need to decarbonise at the same pace.

“On a global scale the UK is responsible for just 1% of the problem. Realistically, the UK’s Net Zero goals are a fantasy – unachievable and unaffordable.



The MP concluded: “Our public services are in chaos, and the devolved Stormont Assembly should be channelling its energy into focusing on problems that it can resolve. The appointment of a Climate Commissioner should not be progressed at the expense of our vital services such as health and education.”