6. Discussion & Recommendations

This section provides an overview of the Council’s progress on the SDGs and offers recommendationsbased on the research findings, the specified context of the region, with particular considerationgiven tothe local challenges evident in the Borough andguided by relevant literatureregarding attaining progresstoward the SDGs on a local level. When assessingprogress toward the SDGs, it is important to recognisethat the goals are not placed on a hierarchical ladder, hence, equal importance should be given to each (Nagy, Benedek and Ivan, 2018). Each recommendationis presented individually andin thefollowing structure: the current SDG gap; evidence to support this gapas a priority; actions which would allow progress to made toward achieving success in this gap; and the SDG that this progress would work toward.

Child Poverty Goal 1: No Poverty, Target 1.2 aims to halvethe proportion of“children of all ages living in poverty”. Childpoverty is associated with a wide range of healthdamaging impacts, negative educational outcomes and adverse long-term social and psychological outcomes. The poor health associated with child poverty limits significantly children’s potential and development (Wickham, 2016). While MEABC is currently deliver many programmesthattackle forms of poverty in the Borough, they are not currently delivering any programmes thatdirectly deal with child poverty.Barnardo’s NI, the largest children’s charity in NI, reportedthatthe current COVID-19 pandemic, and enormous negative social and economic impacts affectingcitizens everyday lives, is placing more children in vulnerable situationsand at risk of child poverty (2020). While the NIMDM 2017 stated that 17% ofMEA’s population aged 15 and under are living in households whose equivalised income is below 60% of the NI median, it can be assumed in the given circumstances that this figure has risen. Achievingtarget 1.2 locally requires support forpolicies to reduce child poverty, providing services that reduce the health consequences of child poverty, comprehensive measuring and understanding of the problem in the Borough, and assessing the impact of any actions (Wickham, 2016). Additionally, further incorporationofstrategic themes that tackle childpoverty into a comprehensive Inclusive Growth Strategy (IGS), such as MEA Local Development Plan, and implementing policies promoting work-life balance, better quality, and better paid jobs, are key to reducing child poverty in the long term (Benedetti, Betti, & Crescenzi, 2020).

Promoting Resilient Agricultural Practices Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Target 2.4 aims to “ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices”. Currently, MEABC is not deliveringany actions that directly work toward this target. The Agri-food Study and Action Plan (MEABC, 2019c) identified thatthere are1,797 farms registered in MEAand highlights the strong base of food production and processing companiesin the Borough. The action plan lays out four key areas which the

Council intend to support going forward: Agri-food Skill Development, Agri-food Network, Agrifood Entrepreneur Development, and Agri-food Demonstrator Programme. These key areas mostlyfocus on the development of agri-food specific skills for understanding market demand, increasing productivity through utilising agri-technology, and diversifying the sector, however, there is an opportunity to incorporate the promotionof resilient agricultural practices alongside these primary objectives, and in so doing encourageclimate adaptation and ensure food security across the large agri-food sector in the Borough. Additionally, support could be offered in partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) to help farmers measure the carbon footprint of their farms and put in place a carbon reduction plan in place to reduce their emissions, aiding both progress toward SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production and SDG 13: Climate Action.

A Focus on Gender Equality in Local Pandemic Recovery Plans Goal 5: Gender Equality, Target 5.1 aims toeliminate “all forms of violence against all women and girls”. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 35% of women, globally, have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime (WHO, 2020). As the pandemic continues, measures to limit mobility have placed women at a disproportionally increased risk of harm, as rates of violence against women and girls (VAWG) intensify around the world (UN Women, 2020; Women’s Aid, 2020; Kofman & Garfin, 2020; Noman et al., 2021).Further progress is needed to prevent VAWG and comprehensive data is required to gain a full picture of the scope of the current condition inNI (UKSSD, 2018). However, statistics indicatetothe prevalence of VAWG with domestic abuse cases in 2020 rising to the highest level recorded since 2004/05 (PSNI, 2020). MEA had 2,233 domestic abuse incidents recorded by police in 2020. While this figuredid not present a rise in levels of domestic abuse incidents between the 2019-2020 period (PSNI, 2020), domestic abuse continues to be underreported acrossNI and has more repeat victims than any other crime (Women’s Resource and Development Agency, 2020). The development of an online programme tackling VAWG in partnership with relevant organisations may promote awareness across the Borough and aid critical communitymobilisation on this issue. Going forward, MEABC’spandemic recovery plans should consider the engagement of gender balanced COVID19 taskforces and working groups, crucially with representation from women’s sector groups to ensure a gender lens to all future actions, and prioritisation of investment into local domestic abuse support services (Women’s Resource and Development Agency, 2020).

Goal 5: Gender Equality, Target 5.5 aims to “ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunitiesfor leadership at all levels of decision-making”. Given the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on women (Women’s Resource and Development Agency, 2020), the adoption of special measures and programmesregardinggender equality may help to advance women and girl’s equal participation in business, managerial roles, political roles, and governance roles. The adoption of gender parity measures within Council could steer achievements toward this target locally, while supportfor and promotion of women-owned

businessescould help progress toward this goal during the pandemic recovery, with particular consideration to those in vulnerable situations and those of minority ethnic backgrounds.

Extended Producer Responsibility Policy Goal 12: Responsible Consumption & Production, Target 12.5 aims to “reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse". MEABC’s kerbside collection recycling rate has increased from 42.8% in2016 to 51.38% in 2020, and the proposed redevelopment of the Sullatober HWRC aims to improved infrastructure, increase the recycling capability, and increase the recycling rate on site.One recommendation to further advance progress toward this target is the adoption of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy which is an environmental policy approach in which a producer's responsibility for a product is extended to the postconsumer stage of a product's life cycle (Hilton et al., 2019). Many European countries trying to promote sustainable development by transitioning from a linear to a circular economy, where waste is to be prevented and recycling activities are promoted, have successfully implemented EPR policies (Rubio et al., 2019). Implementing and facilitating a EPR policy in the Borough could promote material usage reduction and increase recycling rates directly (Rubio et al., 2019), and subsequently further local progress toward SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production directly, and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13: Climate Action indirectly.

Widespread Adoption of a Deposit Return Scheme A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is a recycling system in which consumers pay a small deposit for plastic and glass bottles, which can be refunded upon return to a shop(DAERA, 2017). In 2019, DAERA conducted consultations on introducing a DRS in NI, seeking toidentify opinions on measures to help reduce littering, boost recycling levels for relevant materials, providethe enhanced possibility to collect high quality materials in greater quantities and promote recycling through clear labelling and consumer messaging.A pilot DRS has been introduced in Whitehead, utilising existing kerbside recycling collections, app-based, with monetary incentive to participate.Dependenton this scheme’s success, greater adoption ofa DRS across the Borough would further advance MEAtoward SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13: Climate Action.

A Focus on Incorporating SDG 10: Reducing Inequalities Across the Service Areas Based on data collected from the survey responses (See Appendix C), 73% of the Council’s service areas are not delivering onSDG 10: Reduce Inequalities. Despite this, reducing inequality should be an essential driver in each of the Council’s service areas. Consideringthelocal challengesinthe Boroughassociated with inequality, such asdemographic ageingand rural deprivation, the Council should focus on incorporating a procedural framework with ensures all staff member across all service areas consider and implement actions to address issues of inequality.

Updated Local Biodiversity Action Plan Goal 15: Life on Land, Target 15.5 strives to “take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and… protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species”. MEA’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan (LBAP) was produced in 2014and highlights the rich biodiversity heritage that exists in the Borough. While the plan comprises of three objectives - Help conserve habitats and species; Raise awareness of local biodiversity; and Involve people in biodiversity projects and develop partnerships(MEABC, 2014) - the document lacks the required actions to achieve these objectives and lacks indicators to measure progress. This document has not been updated since 2014 andstatement of progress has not been formally published. An updatedLBAP, accompanied byan extensive list of actions and indicators would act as a practical conservation framework, whileboosting awareness of the wealth of wildlife and special places that exist in the Borough. This document should consider local species that are consider as being at risk, not-at-risk or at unknown level of risk of extinction (Target 2.5.2) andprovide adequate resourcing toprevent or control of invasive alien speciesin the Borough (Target 15.8.1).

Implementing an updated LBAPand thorough statements of progressin the future would guide Council’s actions andachievements towardmany of the targets of both SDG 14: Life Below Water and SDG 15: Lifeon Land.MEABC should consider this to be criticaldue to the Council’s statutory duty to further the conservation ofbiodiversity, formalised in the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act NI 2011. Furthermore, the adoption and promotion of clear hunting and poaching guidelines regarding wildlife crime, such as badger baitingand deer poaching, would help progress toward target 15.c, whichaims to “… combat poaching and trafficking of protected species”, and may act as a preventative measureto protect MEA’s diminishing biodiversity.

Woodland Management Plan Goal 15: Life on Land, Target 15.2 aims to “… promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests”. NI is one of the least wooded regions in Europe, with just 8% woodland cover compared to the European average of 46%. MEA is a sparsely wooded county with less than 4% woodland cover, despite this, many smaller woodlands are not actively managed in the Borough. While the MEA4Tress programme aims to plant 56,000+ native trees andincrease the overall woodland cover across the Borough, the programmeisconstrained to specific areas of for tree planting such as available Council owned land.The development of a woodland management planas a working documentfor small forest areas wouldprovide ensure theprotection for existing woodland and a succession of growth, productivity, and the maintenance of habitat diversity. The continued health of woodland areas in the Borough and the biodiversity found in these areas is dependent upon a long-term commitment to a comprehensive woodland management plan.

Sustainability Literacy Programme and SDGs Responsibility Framework Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, Target 12.8 aims to “ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development…”, while Goal 4: Quality Education, Target 4.7 strives to “ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…”. Based on Appendix C, many of the Council members selected the ‘Unsure’ option for at least one of the goalswhen asked if a goal what relevant to their work area. Thisdemonstratesa general lack of understanding of the UN SDGs, targets and indicators. Delivering a sustainability literacy programme for Council members would help to raise the overall awareness and understanding of the goals across the Council. The provision of information regarding collating data and monitoring progress for the SDGs may improvethe engagement of Council members with tracking theirservices areasto the goals. Furthermore, developing a responsibility framework for each Council departments which details thegoals and targetstheir service areas should be working towardsmayguide their efforts and further implement the goals across the Council’s service areas. The findings table and these recommendations could act as apreliminarybaseline to identify which goals and targets need immediate actionby the most suitable department.As many of the goals are crosscutting, collaboration and frequent communicationwould be required across departments to effectively implement this framework.

Further Research into the Impacts of Climate Change in MEA Further researchisrequired regardingcauses and potential impactsof climate changein the Borough. efforts to integrate this into the Council’s service areas. when considering the implementation ofany new development policies or plans going forward. While lots of work is underway to address the Council’s carbon footprint, such as reducing fuel consumption, reducing waste sent to landfill, reducing energy use, moving to renewable energies, and the development ofan energy accountability framework across Council departments, a more comprehensive awareness across the Council’s departments of the potential impacts of these actions could help to promote engagement with such actions. Much like the above recommendation, the development of a climate change literacy programme