AQW 19542/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 26/05/2021
Answered On Date: 11/06/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what action his Department is taking, ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in November, to accelerate Northern Ireland's contribution towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Answer:

Following the June 2019 amendment to the UK Climate Change Act 2008, which introduced a UK Net Zero by 2050 target in line with the Paris Agreement, I wrote to Lord Deben, the Chair of the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC), the Statutory Advisors to Government on climate change, to seek their expert advice on what would be Northern Ireland’s fair and equitable contribution to the UK Net Zero target.

The CCC advised that Northern Ireland’s fair and equitable contribution to UK Net Zero by 2050 should be to achieve at least an 82% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the 1990 baseline year.

The commitment in New Decade New Approach (NDNA) was for the Executive to tackle climate change head on with a strategy to address the immediate and longer term impacts of climate disruption and to introduce legislation and targets for reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Climate Change Accord.

After consideration of the outcome of my consultation on the matter, and the expert advice and evidence I received from the independent UK Climate Change Committee in Dec 2020, I have brought before my Executive Colleagues for their agreement, my policy proposals for a Climate Change Bill for Northern Ireland. My Department along with the Office of Legislative Council are also well advanced in the drafting of a Climate Change Bill based on my proposals, a Bill which if enacted will set legally binding net greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets in Northern Ireland in line with the CCC’s advice. I intend to seek agreement on my draft Bill and accompanying Explanatory and Financial Memorandum from my Executive colleagues in the coming weeks. Once Executive agreement is secured to proceed, I intend to move quickly to introduce my Bill to the Assembly, as I want to see my Bill complete its legislative passage within the lifetime of the current Assembly mandate so as to deliver on NDNA.

In June last year I announced ambitious plans for my Department to lead on the development of a Green Growth Strategy for Northern Ireland. The Strategy operates under the oversight of the Executive through an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG), which I chair, and will require all Departments to work together collaboratively to deliver our objectives. The Strategy and associated Climate Action Plan will be our route map to accelerate delivery on climate action, green jobs and a clean environment. The Strategy will look out to 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement, and provide a pathway for delivery of sector-specific greenhouse gas emission targets. The Climate Action Plan will focus on the shorter term actions we must take across all sectors to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Northern Ireland.

A Green Growth Strategy Framework has been drafted by my Department, with input other Departments. You will have had sight of the draft Green Growth Strategy Framework, as it was shared with the AERA Committee members for their consideration. Once all feedback is received and taken into account I will seek the Executive’s endorsement prior to publication. My intention is that the draft strategy will be published for consultation in advance of COP26 in November 2021 with delivery of a final strategy by the end of March 2022. The Green Growth Strategy and Climate Action Plan will provide a strong foundation to drive forward action.

Ahead of COP26 my Department is also leading on the development of a number of important areas of policy including an NI Peatlands Strategy, an NI Environment Strategy and ongoing programmes such as ‘Forests for Our Future’ which I launched in March 2020.