Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Dr John Cortes, recently chaired the second meeting of the Brexit and Environment Working Group, which includes representatives from the Department of Environment., Heritage and Climate Change, the Gibraltar Ornithological & Natural History Society (GONHS), and the Environmental Safety Group (ESG).

The group’s task is to examine the potential impact of Brexit on the environment, and work through ways of ensuring environmental quality is maintained beyond leaving the European Union.

Among the matters discussed by the group were current EU Directives and Regulations that serve to guarantee air and water quality as well as protection of natural heritage. International agreements and conventions outside the EU that will continue to apply were also discussed.

Dr John Cortes commented: “The European Union is a world leader in environmental governance. Gibraltar has greatly benefited from this, and we must ensure that these benefits continue. Gibraltar has a great resource in the environmental NGOs and I am very pleased that we are working together to this end. It is a time for all of Gibraltar to work together for its common good.”