Motion

Conducting a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Net Zero Policies

Motion TitleConducting a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Net Zero Policies

Motion TextThat this Assembly expresses deep concern that aspirational climate targets are impeding the delivery of high-quality public services and infrastructure that ratepayers deserve; notes that the provisions of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 have been found by the courts to obstruct the progression of the A5 Road Upgrade, with far-reaching consequences for other major projects such as the A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass; is alarmed, furthermore, that the current legal requirement for minimum spend on active travel perversely acts as a barrier to vital investment in roads maintenance and repairs; calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to withdraw the current draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027, which contains a range of proposals that are not quantified and would place additional burdens on farmers and households during a cost-of-living crisis; and further calls on the Minister to task every department and arm’s-length body with conducting a cost-benefit analysis of all net zero-related climate policies and funding streams within their remit.

Motion CategoryPrivate Members' Motion

Date Tabled to Business Office16/03/2026

Date Selected By Committee16/03/2026

Date of Plenary Debate14/04/2026

View Official Report

Tabled By

Member Name	Tabled As
Miss Michelle McIlveen	MLA - Strangford
Mr Jonathan Buckley	MLA - Upper Bann
Mr Gareth Wilson	MLA - Newry and Armagh
Mr Tom Buchanan	MLA - West Tyrone

Bills

Outcome/Voting

82 Members voted

26 Members voted AYE

56 Members voted NO

The Motion Was Negatived, Simple Majority Lobby Division

MLA Name	Designation	Voted
Mr Andy Allen MBE	Unionist	NO
Dr Caoimhe Archibald	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diana Armstrong	Unionist	NO
Ms Kellie Armstrong	Other	NO
Mr Danny Baker	Nationalist	NO
Mr Doug Beattie MC	Unionist	NO
Mr John Blair	Other	NO
Mr Cathal Boylan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maurice Bradley	Unionist	AYE
Ms Paula Bradshaw	Other	NO
Mr Phillip Brett	Unionist	AYE
Miss Nicola Brogan	Nationalist	NO
Mr David Brooks	Unionist	AYE
Ms Cheryl Brownlee	Unionist	AYE
Mr Keith Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Tom Buchanan	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jonathan Buckley	Unionist	AYE
Ms Joanne Bunting	Unionist	AYE
Mr Jon Burrows	Unionist	NO
Mr Robbie Butler	Unionist	NO
Mrs Pam Cameron	Unionist	AYE
Mr Gerry Carroll	Other	NO
Mr Alan Chambers	Unionist	NO
Mr Trevor Clarke	Unionist	AYE
Mr Pádraig Delargy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Stewart Dickson	Other	NO
Mrs Linda Dillon	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Diane Dodds	Unionist	AYE
Mr Danny Donnelly	Other	NO
Mr Stephen Dunne	Unionist	AYE
Mr Mark Durkan	Nationalist	NO
Ms Connie Egan	Other	NO
Mrs Sinéad Ennis	Nationalist	NO
Mrs Deborah Erskine	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Ciara Ferguson	Nationalist	NO
Ms Aoife Finnegan	Nationalist	NO
Miss Órlaithí Flynn	Nationalist	NO
Ms Diane Forsythe	Unionist	AYE
Mr Paul Frew	Unionist	AYE
Mr Timothy Gaston	Unionist	AYE
Mr Colm Gildernew	Nationalist	NO
Mr Paul Givan	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Michelle Guy	Other	NO
Miss Deirdre Hargey	Nationalist	NO
Mr Harry Harvey	Unionist	AYE
Mr David Honeyford	Other	NO
Ms Cara Hunter	Nationalist	NO
Mr Declan Kearney	Nationalist	NO
Ms Liz Kimmins	Nationalist	NO
Mr Brian Kingston	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Emma Little-Pengelly	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Naomi Long	Other	NO
Mr Gordon Lyons	Unionist	AYE
Mr Declan McAleer	Nationalist	NO
Miss Nuala McAllister	Other	NO
Mr Patsy McGlone	Nationalist	NO
Mr Colin McGrath	Nationalist	NO
Mr Philip McGuigan	Nationalist	NO
Mr Maolíosa McHugh	Nationalist	NO
Miss Michelle McIlveen	Unionist	AYE
Ms Sinéad McLaughlin	Nationalist	NO
Mr Andrew McMurray	Other	NO
Mr Peter McReynolds	Other	NO
Mr Peter Martin	Unionist	AYE
Mrs Cathy Mason	Nationalist	NO
Mr Nick Mathison	Other	NO
Mrs Julie Middleton	Unionist	AYE
Mr Andrew Muir	Other	NO
Ms Sian Mulholland	Other	NO
Miss Áine Murphy	Nationalist	NO
Mr Mike Nesbitt	Unionist	NO
Ms Carál Ní Chuilín	Nationalist	NO
Mr John O'Dowd	Nationalist	NO
Ms Michelle O'Neill	Nationalist	NO
Mr Matthew O'Toole	Nationalist	NO
Ms Aisling Reilly	Nationalist	NO
Mr Alan Robinson	Unionist	AYE
Mr Pat Sheehan	Nationalist	NO
Ms Emma Sheerin	Nationalist	NO
Mr John Stewart	Unionist	NO
Mr Eóin Tennyson	Other	NO
Mr Gareth Wilson	Unionist	AYE

Amendments

Selected Amendments

No amendments tabled were selected for this motion.

Other Amendments Tabled

Tabled Date	Amendment Text
27/03/2026	Leave out all after ‘deep concern’ and insert: ‘that climate targets are being used to deflect from the Executive’s inability to deliver high-quality public services and infrastructure that taxpayers deserve; notes that the failure to adequately consider the provisions of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 have been found by the courts to obstruct the progression of the vital and lifesaving A5 Road Upgrade; acknowledges that the net costs of net zero are estimated at less than 1 per cent of UK GDP per year, as evidenced by the Climate Change Committee; regrets that progress on addressing climate change has been minimal since the passage of the Act; calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to ensure that all proposals are adequately quantified as part of a final climate action plan; and further calls on the Minister to task every department and arm’s-length body with conducting a cost-benefit analysis of all net zero-related climate policies, capturing the full range of co-benefits and savings arising from climate action, setting these against the escalating economic, environmental and public service costs of continued failure to act.

Tabled Date

Amendment Text

27/03/2026

Leave out all after ‘deep concern’ and insert: ‘that climate targets are being used to deflect from the Executive’s inability to deliver high-quality public services and infrastructure that taxpayers deserve; notes that the failure to adequately consider the provisions of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 have been found by the courts to obstruct the progression of the vital and lifesaving A5 Road Upgrade; acknowledges that the net costs of net zero are estimated at less than 1 per cent of UK GDP per year, as evidenced by the Climate Change Committee; regrets that progress on addressing climate change has been minimal since the passage of the Act; calls on the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to ensure that all proposals are adequately quantified as part of a final climate action plan; and further calls on the Minister to task every department and arm’s-length body with conducting a cost-benefit analysis of all net zero-related climate policies, capturing the full range of co-benefits and savings arising from climate action, setting these against the escalating economic, environmental and public service costs of continued failure to act.

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Conducting a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Net Zero Policies

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