Representatives from 13 UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) and Crown Dependencies (CDs) from as far afield as Bermuda, Pitcairn and the British Virgin Islands participated in discussions on 27th and 28th April 2017 on the Channel Island of Alderney to discuss the future of the environment in their jurisdictions. The aim of the meeting was to develop the benefits of joint and collaborative working, and discuss common priorities and approaches to negotiations with the UK Government.

This was only the second meeting of its kind, the first having been hosted by the Government of Gibraltar in 2015. The Environment Ministers’ Council was chaired jointly by Victor Brownlees, Alderney’s Chief Executive, and Dr John Cortés, Minister for the Environment of Gibraltar and was made possible by the work of the UKOTCF.

The Ministers’ Council published a statement, which was sent to those UK Government ministers with responsibilities in this area, and which expresses regret that UK Government again failed to send a representative to the meeting.

Issue 47 of Forum News gives a fuller account of the meeting; see also the page in Environment Ministers Council.