AQW 12589/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 28/05/2024
Answered On Date: 06/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (i) to detail how he is working (a) within his Department; and (b) across Departments, to reach Northern Ireland’s agreed climate targets; and (ii) for his assessment of progress made since the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 was established.

Answer:

My Department is leading on development of Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan (CAP), working together across all departments, to set out Northern Ireland’s approach to meeting the carbon budget for 2023 to 2027 and establishing a Net Zero pathway through a set of proposals and policies for emissions reductions.

Collaboration is occurring at strategic and delivery levels, within DAERA and across departments through a Strategic Oversight Group (a cross-Departmental group comprising senior officials from all NI Departments), a sector/departmental leads group, an Evidence and Analysis group (a cross-departmental group which aims to support the provision of robust evidence, analyses and advice to inform CAP development) and supported by a core CAP team in DAERA.

In terms of the progress made to meet the targets set out in the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022, the most recent Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Inventory report shows emissions reduced by 23.2% from the base year to 2021. To meet the 2030 target, a 48% reduction is required so the rate of decarbonsation needs to substantially increase. This will require concerted effort by all.

In addition to progressing the development of a Climate Action Plan, other progress made includes-

bringing into operation the Climate Change (Reporting Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024 on 3 May 2024;

developing policy to enable regulations to be made that will set Northern Ireland’s first three carbon budgets and appropriate emission reduction targets for 2030 and 2040. Draft regulations have been prepared and I hope to be soon in a position to seek Executive approval for the regulations before laying the regulations in the Assembly for approval;

developing policy around the establishment of an independent Just Transition Commission and I envisage that proposals will be published for public consultation in the coming months;

implementation of a net zero aligned cap for the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with effect from 1 January 2024, acting jointly with the UK, Scottish and Welsh Governments as the UK ETS Authority;

commissioning the Climate Change Committee to undertake an independent assessment of the second Northern Ireland Climate Change Adaptation Programme (NICCAP2) which is being used to help inform the development of NICCAP3.