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myEARTH, a new digital hub for environmental knowledge and action, has officially launched in Northern Ireland. The website is designed to connect families and households to the organisations who are taking positive action for the environment – and crucially makes it easy for them to take part.

Developed by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, in collaboration with Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL), myEARTH connects and supports a growing network of local changemakers focused on environmental action. With early backing from these organisations, myEARTH is gaining traction as delivery partners across Northern Ireland begin to adopt the platform, including the National Trust, Ulster Wildlife, RSPB NI and The Weatherbies. Users can discover local events, activities, resources and opportunities from these, and many more, partners.

By creating an online community, myEARTH will help families discover local events and environmental activities, from beach cleans to wildlife watches, and encourage them to participate. Users will not only be able to find activities that suit their household – such as community litter-picks, tree planting, and recycling projects – they will be encouraged to use and collect digital Action Cards. Each card includes clear, step-by-step guidance, making it easy for anyone to get involved in a particular activity – and every activity makes a difference.

The launch of myEARTH is a significant step in raising the profile of environmental education whilst driving community action throughout Northern Ireland. It is also anticipated to accelerate digital transformation, and support the resilience of the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector through innovative ways of working.

Rachael Thomas, Project Manager at myEARTH, said, “At its core, myEARTH simplifies environmental action by uniting the efforts of everyone on one easy-to-use platform. Our research told us that whilst there is a huge appetite for families and households to do their bit to tackle the climate emergency, there were barriers in place around sourcing and gathering the information required to take part. myEARTH uses tech to break down these barriers – ultimately, we are creating an online community of people and connecting them to local activities, events, and ideas to get them and their families involved and active in caring for nature, tackling climate change, and making a difference – right on their doorstep.

“From the very beginning, our goal has been to open the door to participation. Everyone is welcome, not just those already involved in environmental efforts. With the summer approaching, we’re calling on families and households to get online, get involved and get active so we can all help protect the planet together.”

Max Bryant CEO at Northern Ireland Environmental Link said, "As the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment, Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) strives to connect this network for a more valued, resilient, healthy environment. The delivery of myEARTH with Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful extends our work through the website as a hub to highlight environmental efforts in NI to a wider audience via opportunities, action, resources and impact. We look forward to seeing the measure of this impact through the public interaction with myEARTH and our networks."

The myEARTH project is funded through a £488,557 grant from Dormant Assets NI, which is delivered by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland Director of The National Lottery Community Fund said, “I’m delighted to see the launch of the myEARTH platform. Dormant Assets funding in Northern Ireland aims to build the capacity, sustainability and resilience of the VCSE sector, and this project will contribute to that by providing much needed collaboration, resources and support to VCSE organisations to get involved in environmental activity and collectively track their impact.”

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) supported the concept development stage of myEARTH.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said, “It is great to see this easy-to-use web resource to help communities, families and individuals identify and undertake actions to improve our environment across Northern Ireland - positive actions for biodiversity, air quality, recycling and so many more ideas. I applaud this collaborative effort between so many organisations to bring together access to all this information in one place to help friends, family, colleagues and groups to make a positive impact on our environment.”

To mark the launch of the platform, the myEARTH Summer ImpACT Competition challenges families to complete one of four eco-themed Action Cards for the chance to win a National Trust Family Membership, with entries closing on Sunday 31st August 2025. The competition is free to enter. T&Cs apply.

For more information visit www.myearth.org.uk

The 30 under 30 programme is celebrating our second cohort, finishing this year with some impressive projects. Thirty young people across Northern Ireland have come together since February 2024 to develop their ideas to help fight the climate emergency. 30 Under 30 is helping make these ideas a reality by connecting ambitious and energetic young people with one another. Each idea is another critical piece of the jigsaw in helping Northern Ireland fight against the climate emergency. Projects ranged from sustainable tourism to raising awareness of light pollution. This year's cohort will now develop these projects, bringing important benefits to their communities and our society.

This year's cohort, with the invaluable support of our partners Podiem, have completed six workshops. These workshops, focusing on purpose-driven leadership, teamwork, and impact, have been instrumental in shaping the ideas of our young leaders. The support from our partners and sponsors is a crucial part of the puzzle in our fight against the climate emergency, and we are deeply grateful for their contribution.

The 30 Under 30 Northern Ireland Climate Change-Makers programme is a beacon of hope, designed to unearth, inspire, and equip 30 leaders under the age of 30 who can play a pivotal role in shaping a better climate future for Northern Ireland and beyond. 30 under 30 draws on the international EE 30 Under 30 initiative introduced by the North American Association for Environmental Education.

The programme, delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful and Podiem, and funded by Coca-Cola, Ulster Garden Villages, Danske Bank, Belfast City Council and Pinsent Masons is a testament to the power of collective action and the potential of our youth to make a difference.

Speaking about the success of the 2024 cohort, the Environmental Leadership & Awards Programme Manager, Jenna Potter said,

“Following the success of our pilot last year, we had high expectations for the class of 2024, and they did not disappoint. Having attended all six workshops, seeing the growth of the ideas, the depth of the connections all of them have made, and the enthusiasm has been incredible. I want to congratulate everyone who has participated this year, and I am excited to see their next steps.”

“The quality of the young people we are sourcing and the ideas generated demonstrates the importance of the 30 under 30 programme to Northern Ireland’s fight against the climate emergency. I want to thank our partners Podiem and the support from Coca-Cola, Ulster Garden Villages Danske Bank, Belfast City Council and Pinsent Masons for helping make this happen.”

Kilcooley Primary School is the first in Northern Ireland to complete a brand-new education programme: Climate CALM. The distinctive course encourages primary school pupils to explore the climate crisis in a way that promotes positive mental health.

The much-needed programme was developed by environmental charity Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, in partnership with educational publisher, Twinkl. The resource, which is free to access, is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. (DAERA)

Eco or climate anxiety is an increasingly common phenomenon. A global survey of 10,000 16-25 year olds found that 59% of respondents felt extremely or very worried about climate change, and over 45% said their feelings about climate change negatively affected their daily life and functioning.[1]

The Climate CALM programme, provides the opportunity for younger pupils, aged 7-11, to explore the challenging theme of climate change through a framework designed to minimise eco-anxiety. The framework is informed by the NHS ways of wellbeing which include ‘connecting’, ‘being present’, ‘being active’, ‘learning’ and ‘giving’.

Lynne Johnston, a teacher at Kilcooley Primary School said, ““The children really enjoyed learning about climate change and discussing how they can make a positive difference. We really liked how the 'Ways to Wellbeing' were incorporated into each lesson”.

The Climate CALM programme is free to access via the Twinkl website. Teachers interested in delivering the programme can also avail of free Carbon Literacy training, funded by DAERA and delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful. This training equips teachers with the knowledge to feel confident exploring climate change in the classroom with pupils across the age range.

Scott Howes, Climate Action lead at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful says, “We’re delighted to have received such a positive response to the Climate CALM programme so far. It is vital that any teaching on climate change addresses climate anxiety. This framework of learning encourages and empowers pupils to be active in creating a positive climate future.”

Rachel Gamble, Country Manager of Twinkl Northern Ireland, says, "We are delighted to be a part of the development of the Climate CALM resources. The interactive lessons are perfect for educating children about the importance of looking after our planet, while also nurturing their own wellbeing. We have seen a strong interest in the programme already and hope that many more teachers and pupils will make use of this excellent resource."

John Early from the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rurals Affairs commented “The Department is pleased to have been able to support the development of the Climate CALM materials for Primary Schools”.

He added “As we move to a low carbon society it is essential that we engage children in climate change discussions, from an early age, so they can begin to understand how the everyday decisions we make can impact upon their own personal carbon footprint and the positive changes they can make. It was great to hear the feedback from the children who have completed the course”.

For more information on Climate CALM, including a link to access the materials, visit: www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org/c-calm

Notes to editors:

For further information, or interview requests contact Claire.irwin@keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org

About Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful is a charity working towards the vision of a world where people and nature thrive, by running environmental-education programmes and awareness-raising campaigns, increasing volunteering opportunities and reporting on local environmental quality. Programmes include the national civic-pride campaign Live Here Love Here, Tackling Plastic NI, Tackling Textiles, Carbon Literacy training, and local environmental quality programmes, such as Eco-Schools NI, Blue Flag Award, Seaside Award, Green Flag Award, Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Marine Litter surveys. For more information, visit www.keepnorthernirelandbeautiful.org.

Environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, has today announced that it will hold a Climate Clever Communities Summit at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast today (June 15th). The event, which will be hosted by the BBC NI Environment Correspondent, Louise Cullen, will feature a number of distinguished speakers, including contributors from Scotland Beautiful and All Ireland winners of the Tidy Town’s competition in the Republic of Ireland.

The summit is the culmination of the Climate Clever Communities project, which is is funded by the UK Community Renewal Fund and delivered by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful.

The scheme aimed to help implement the UK government’s Net Zero Strategy by educating local communities and businesses in Northern Ireland, and across the UK, on the impact of climate change, and empowering them to take positive action.

Comprised of three key components, the Climate Clever Communities project focused on: the provision of Carbon literacy training to the community and tourism sectors; the Climate Challenge Fund grant programme, which enables groups from all sectors to apply for funding for grassroots activities that could reduce carbon emissions; and intensive work with ten groups supported by Live Here Love Here, Keep Northern Ireland’s civic pride campaign. In a first for Northern Ireland, the initiative saw community groups assisted with the creation of local climate action plans.

Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful says, “We are proud to introduce the Climate Clever Communities Summit to showcase the impact of the Climate Clever Communities project, explore lessons learned, identify recommendations for future programmes and, importantly, to provide a platform for programme participants to share their insights.

“At Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, we’re dedicated to creating a world where people and nature thrive, and we hope that the summit will enable transformative outcomes through community-driven climate action, create a space for innovation and interactivity, and showcase solutions.

“We also hope that it will support dialogue between government agencies, local authorities, other service providers and community groups, to ascertain what we need to do to transition to low carbon society.”

Over 200 delegates are expected to attend the event, which will see speakers from across the UK. The audience will comprise of community groups, partners and funders of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, central and local government representatives, other NGO organisations and a number of businesses.

Speaker, Heather Ashworth, Communities Team Project Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, comments, “It is an honour to be invited to speak at the Climate Clever Communities Summit.

“This is an incredibly important forum for discussing the climate crisis. At Keep Scotland Beautiful, we have seen first-hand how important communities are in making an impact in this space, especially with our Community Climate Action Plan programme. A real difference can be made at grassroots level and initiatives like the Climate Clever Communities project are pivotal to realising this.”

Also speaking at the event will be Cormac McCarthy, Chairperson of Ennis Tidy Towns who were the overall Winner of 2021 Tidy Towns Competition. Cormac will talk about the Tidy Towns experience in the Republic of Ireland.

He says, “I am delighted to be speaking at the Climate Clever Communities Summit.

“As a passionate advocate for community-led change, I feel that the role played by the Community and Voluntary Sector in response to the climate crisis is incredibly important, and this event, and the project that it showcases, are a vital step towards achieving to net zero emissions by 2050.”

Each year, the tobacco industry produces six trillion cigarettes that are consumed by one billion smokers around the world. These cigarettes contain filters mainly composed of microplastics known as cellulose acetate fibres. When improperly disposed of, cigarette butts break down through factors such as sunlight and moisture and release microplastics, heavy metals and many other chemicals, affecting the health of our ecosystems.

Cigarette butts are the most littered item worldwide, posing a major challenge to keeping the environment clean and free of plastic pollution. In our Cleaner Neighbourhoods Report for 2021/22, we reveal that Northern Ireland’s rural and urban areas are no exception, with 65% of all surveyed transects blighted by cigarette-related litter.

What’s more, when this form of plastic waste finally makes its way to our beaches and other waterways, it become a candidate for ingestion by marine wildlife. Research shows that the hazardous chemicals leached out by microplastics can cause long-term mortality in a range of species, including birds, fish, mammals, plants and reptiles. Inevitably, these microplastics enter the food chain and are associated with serious human-health impacts, including changes to genetics, brain development, respiration rates and more.

But while the negative implications of tobacco use on people is well documented, the detrimental impact it has on our climate is less understood. The tobacco industry has a whopping annual greenhouse gas emission of 84 megatons carbon dioxide equivalent. To produce tobacco on this colossal scale, there are round 200,000 hectares of biodiverse land cleared each year. And to compound matters, deforestation for tobacco plantations and tobacco curing leads to soil degradation and diminishes the ability of land to support the growth of any other crops or vegetation for regenerative and carbon-storing purposes.

Reducing the demand for tobacco is an integral piece of achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond the compelling human health reasons for ditching cigarettes, it is imperative that we bin them appropriately for the sake of our fragile environment and climate.

‘A key milestone for climate action in Northern Ireland’ is how the submission of a Climate Change Bill to the Northern Ireland Assembly has been described by the Climate Coalition Northern Ireland and MLAs. The Private Members Bill is being submitted to the Speaker’s Office today – three months after the Assembly passed a motion calling for the introduction of a Climate Change Act within that timeframe.

Supported by MLAs from across the political spectrum, the Climate Change Bill will provide a legislative basis for climate action in NI. The Bill sets a target for Northern Ireland to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 and includes the establishment of a Northern Ireland Climate Office. The Bill is co-sponsored by Sinn Féin, SDLP, Ulster Unionist Party, Alliance Party, Green Party, People Before Profit, and an Independent MLA .

The Bill is an outcome of in-depth consultation with legal experts , Climate Coalition NI members, and elected representatives, and responds to the groundswell of public opinion in favour of a Climate Change Act. The public’s demand for climate action is evident in declarations of climate and ecological emergencies by local and national governments, public demonstrations including protests and youth strikes, and opinion polls like RSPB’s recent survey in which 74% of respondents supported the introduction of a Climate Change Act for NI .

Climate Coalition NI Chair Dr Amanda Slevin (PCAN Policy Fellow, Queen’s University Belfast) said:

“As a cross party, cross-community initiative, the Climate Change Bill shows how much we can achieve when we work together. NI needs its own Climate Act, building on the commitment within ‘New Decade, New Approach’ to introduce legislation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Accord. The Bill will establish the necessary legislative basis for multi-level climate action and offers opportunities for a just transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future for Northern Ireland.”

Anurag Deb, the lawyer who led on drafting the Bill, emphasised:

“This Bill is the product of a lot of time, effort and discussion, but it is by no means the finished product. It is only the first step in securing effective climate change mitigation in Northern Ireland."

Clare Bailey MLA, who is Lead Sponsor of the Bill, said:

“The Bill will enable Northern Ireland to become climate resilient and to achieve an environmentally sustainable economy. These measures are much needed. Northern Ireland is falling behind on a raft of climate targets and indicators … We owe it to our citizens to make the just transition to a low carbon economy, leaving no one behind.”

James Orr, CCNI Member and Director of Friends of the Earth NI, played a key role in the evolution of the Bill:

“I salute the broad coalition of political support for the Bill. This Bill is a declaration of hope in the future, a future that young people and communities across the planet have been demanding for years. We will be scrutinising the Bill’s progress over the next year to give it the strength and ambition needed to tackle the global climate emergency. ”

PRESS RELEASE ENDS

For further information, please email CCNI@nienvironmentlink.org

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has announced today that it will be supporting the Global Climate Strike on the 20th September 2019. The strike is being organised across the world to encourage greater awareness of the climate emergency facing the entire planet. Locally, we are adding our voices to the growing number of people who are demanding more concerted action on protecting our environment.

Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful has consistently argued for stronger action at a Northern Ireland level and across the European Union. The rising number of alarming stories highlighting the impact of climate change across the globe demonstrates why we cannot wait to change our behaviours and that urgent action is required now.

Speaking about supporting the strike, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, Ian Humphreys, said;

“There is no hiding place from climate change. We simply cannot afford to stay silent and do nothing. We have an obligation for future generations to step up to the mark and highlight the growing climate emergency facing all of us. We all have a duty to change how we live and search for alternatives that can protect our environment now and for the long term.”

“The growing body of evidence is clear. We are contributing in harmful ways to our planet, whether through plastic pollution, the mass extinction of species or fuelling climate change. We need to think about the longer term impacts of the decisions that we are making today. As a society there has to be wide scale behaviour change from all of us in order to reverse the severe damage that is being done to our environment.”

He continued;

“I want to commend those people, young and old, who are peacefully yet powerfully challenging us all to make a real difference on these undeniable issues. It is for those reasons and a belief that change is always possible that I am delighted to lend our organisations support to this day of action.”