John Dallat: Action is needed on climate crisis

We must take action to address the impact of rising temperatures caused by human generated emissions within the next 11 years.

This is no niche political hobby horse — it’s an emergency and it demands immediate action at a local, national and international level.

Any new environment strategy must be highly ambitious for our living landscape.

We need robust decarbonisation targets, a new plan for land maintenance and habitat preservation, and a new approach to enforcement.

The DEFRA 25-year plan and work undertaken by the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales gives a good watermark for the standard we should be aiming for.

John Dallat MLA, SDLP environment spokesman