To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on the work his Department is undertaking in progressing the Climate Change Bill.

In June 2019, the UK enshrined into law the ‘net zero target’ which commits the UK to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by “at least” 100 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. Northern Ireland’s New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) Agreement states, “the Executive will introduce legislation and targets for reducing carbon emissions in line with the Paris Climate Change Accord”; and that ‘the Executive should bring forward a Climate Change Act to give environmental targets a strong legal underpinning.’.

As a result of this, resources have been commissioned and work is ongoing at pace in my Department to develop a Climate Change Bill as I am committed to delivering a Climate Change Act for Northern Ireland within the current mandate.

I have now weighed up the UK Climate Change Committee’s advice alongside the responses to the public consultation on the Discussion Document on a Northern Ireland Climate Change Bill. As such, I will shortly bring forward my proposals for Northern Ireland’s very first Climate Change Bill to my Executive Colleagues for their agreement, as a Climate Change Bill for Northern Ireland is a cross-cutting issue.