Anti-mining campaigners have branded the Geological Survey for Northern Ireland’s involvement in a sustainability event ‘greenwashing’.
Department for the Economy and GSNI sponsored the All-Ireland Sustainability Summit at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Thursday.
They say such events are important as “they allow experts from across industry, academia and central government to discuss how we develop a sustainable green economy and grow renewable energy now, and into the future”.
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A spokesperson added: “It will not be an easy task and one solution will not fit all, it will be about creating a diverse set of solutions around how we deliver green technology, create and harness the green skills needed to produce renewable energy and how we change consumer behaviour.”
Friends of the Earth NI and Save Our Sperrins protested outside, leafleting those attending about GSNI and DfE’s role promoting NI as ‘open’ to the mining industry.
Friends of the Earth NI community campaigns officer Deborah McLaughlin said: “There’s a group of us here today (Thursday) at the All-Ireland Sustainability Summit to protest the sponsorship and partnership of Geological Survey of Northern Ireland and Department for the Economy.
“We feel this is a grave mistake for a number of reasons... this is just more greenwash on the part of GSNI and Department for the Economy.
“One of the main reasons is because GSNI and DfE are going around promoting Ireland to major mining companies at international trade fairs saying basically that [we] are open for business.
“We’ve seen communities here already resisting the proposed largest goldmine in Europe,” she added.
“Their health and their way of life is in grave danger and we feel GSNI has facilitated these companies to arrive in Ireland.
“Our landscapes, rivers, soil and the air itself is under threat and we have no independent regulator to ensure the safety of the people and their environment.
“DfE, GSNI and DAERA are all meant to be the regulators of the mining industry and that’s not happening.
“Instead they are working to attract the mining industry to Ireland.”
GSNI director Dr Marie Cowan opened the All-Ireland Sustainability Summit with a presentation about their work on geothermal energy in Northern Ireland.
We highlighted the protest outside because of their role in mining and asked if this move towards more sustainable development marked a step change for the organisation.
She said: “Our work is determined in two ways, one of which is statutory requirement - so what is in the current legislation that requires us to provide data and information for and then we also have strategic objectives.
“Before the coronavirus>covid period we drafted our new science strategy and it’s very much focused on the energy transition and decarbonisation and also environmental change and geohazards and where that interfaces with society.
“The core remit of a Geological Survey is to provide data on subsurfaces for the national benefit - all decisions are political decisions and we should be independent and fulfil requirements of the government of the day.
“Government priorities change with the imperative of the Climate Act, Net Zero and the need for responsible resourcing, circular economy and 10x [DfE’s economic vision for a decade of innovation].
“There is a societal change that affects all of us and the survey is part of that.”
A DAERA spokesperson said; “The Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s primary purpose is to protect and enhance Northern Ireland’s environment.
“This is the context within which NIEA will review planning applications, and associated environmental authorisations, for new mineral developments.”
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