#No.39 Public Inquiry, Private Barriers

What does public participation actually mean when major environmental decisions are being made? In this episode I’m joined by Laura Neale,  a senior  lawyer with Friends of the Earth . She is based in the organisation’s Belfast office and works on strategic litigation relevant to the issues that affect Northern Ireland. She is passionate about working alongside communities in the region to protect people, planet and place. Today Laura  unpacks two international agreements that are designed  to protect the public’s role in environmental decision-making: the Aarhus Convention and the Espoo Convention. In this conversation we explore: What the Aarhus Convention actually guarantees ordinary people What meaningful public participation should look like in practice How the Espoo Convention applies when environmental impacts cross borders The difference between participation in theory and participation in reality What happens when practical barriers no online access, no recordings, restrictions on attendance  limit who can take part Whether international environmental rights are being fully realised on the ground At its heart, this episode asks a simple question: When decisions affect the air people breathe, the water they drink and the land they live on  who gets to be in the room? 🎧 Listen now and share this episode with anyone interested in environmental justice, public participation and the future of the Sperrins. 💬 Share your thoughts on the public inquiry process  ➕  Follow the podcast by hitting the follow button 🔁 Repost to raise awareness #dontmineus #SaveOurSperrins #notoxicmining  #EnvironmentPodcast #JusticePodcast   LINKS FOR THIS INTERVIEW  links to the Aarhus Convention and the Espoo Convention Here’s a briefing on FoE’s recent complaint to the Aarhus Compliance Committee. Although it relates to the specifics of that complaint, there’s some interesting overview points that might be of use. You can find it here. Also, here is a recent response from the NI Department of Justice on the issue of Aarhus Compliance in Northern Ireland.   If this topic interests you, you might also want to check out: Episode #7 – Human Rights in the Hills: Defending the Defenders https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/human-rights-in-the-hills-mary-lawlor-on-defending-the-defenders/ Episode #35 – When Public Isn’t Public https://buttonsoptions4u.podbean.com/e/no35-when-public-isn-t-public-a-conversation-with-gerard-moyne-and-sean-harkin/   SAVE OUR SPERRINS ( Social Media)  https://linktr.ee/saveoursperrins   Save Our Sperrins YouTube Channel  https://www.youtube.com/@SaveOurSperrins   LINKS TO OTHER RESOURCES  http://caimnetwork.org/mining-in-ireland/ Mining in Ireland is a contentious issue, with 19% of the Republic of Ireland and 27% of Northern Ireland’s land area issued in prospecting licences. While mining companies claim to bring jobs and development, communities like those near Tara Mines and Gypsum Ltd have faced significant environmental and social impacts. Communities Against the Injustice of Mining (CAIM) is an all-island network resisting prospecting and extraction. https://yestolifenotomining.org/ The Yes to Life, No to Mining website is a global hub for communities resisting destructive mining projects. It shares stories from the frontlines, practical resources for local campaigns, and research that exposes the true costs of extraction. The network connects people around the world who are protecting their land, water, and ways of life, and promotes alternatives grounded in care for nature and community wellbeing. https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/after-the-goldrush-by-gerry-mcgovern/id1681123169 Do Irish people know that Ireland has been selected as a Green sacrifice song for the so-called green technology, renewable energy transition from the beautiful wilds of Clare, Wicklow and Leitrim to the outstanding natural beauty of the Sperrin mountains of Tyrone. Rural Ireland is on Big Mining's chopping block. This podcast is about the power of community, about how communities of Ireland are organising to stop this disaster happening. For short term returns, the government wants to sell Ireland  to mining interests as silently and quietly as possible. Let's make some noises. We will try to unravel why the Irish government is doing this   LINKS TO Greencastle People’s Office(GPO) Facebook Page - and the site of the GPO ( The GPO is a humble caravan which has become a hub for the campaign against the goldmine )     https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063579042613&sk=about   https://maps.app.goo.gl/Cz7FHdUoi5ByxECz7?g_st=ipc