AQO 6453/11-15

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 19/06/2014
Answered On Date: 03/07/2014
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of the Environment for an update on his progress in achieving a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 35 per cent on 1990 levels by 2025, as per the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-15.

Answer:

The Northern Ireland Executive has a target to continue to work towards a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by at least 35 per cent on 1990 levels by 2025. The latest inventory published on 10 June 2014, for the 1990-2012 period, shows a reduction of 16 per cent in 2012 in emissions since the base year of 1990.

My department’s analysts use a projection tool to estimate reductions in 2025 based on the latest inventory. A projection figure based on the 2012 figures will only be available in December 2014. However the 2011-based projection figure shows a 27.6 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2025.