Views sought on second Climate Change Bill

Posted 4 years ago

06/09/2021

The Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) Committee has undertaken a call-for-evidence to inform its scrutiny of a Climate Change Bill. The Bill has been brought forward by Minister for AERA Edwin Poots, MLA.

This Bill has been developed separately to the first Climate Change Bill which is also currently under consultation.

The two Bills have significant differences, one of which is the journey to net zero. Bill No 2 proposes the less ambitious target of 2050 for ‘an equitable contribution’ by Northern Ireland to net zero carbon emissions, versus the first Bill’s aim of achieving net zero by 2045.

Bill No. 2 includes somewhat more modest emissions targets, as well as provision for these targets to be modified only following significant scientific or policy developments around climate change in the UK or internationally.

While Bill No 1 seeks to establish an independent Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner and Northern Ireland Climate Office, this second Bill focuses on DAERA proposing regulations with the advice of the UK Climate Change Committee.

RSUA will be responding to this call for evidence and is inviting members to take part in a briefing session with Nick Henry, Assembly Clerk for the AERA Committee.

The briefing session will provide an opportunity for members to contribute to RSUA’s response and to raise questions or concerns.

An online briefing session took place on Tuesday 14 September 2021 and can be viewed below.