To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs what (i) financial; and (ii) other resources he is making available to help local councils become carbon neutral.

NI emissions are derived from a number of emissions sectors. DAERA leads in reducing emissions in the: Agriculture; Land Use Change and Forestry; and Waste sectors. In the waste sector the Household Waste Recycling Collaborative Change Programme provides capital funding assistance to local councils to improve recycling infrastructure and services. To date 7 projects across 6 councils have been supported to a value of £3.54M resulting in estimated CO2 savings of 8,807.21 tonnes. My Department also funds Sustainable NI to support local Councils to reduce single-use plastic with many councils in the process of banning avoidable single-use plastic in their buildings and operations.

In the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry sector my department has provided grant aid of £0.05M to Mid Ulster District Council for planting two new publically accessible native woodlands over the last three years. Over a 40 years period from planting, these woodlands are estimated to capture 4,600 tonnes of CO2 equivalent.