Climate Change is one of the most challenging issues facing our society, and how we address it will have implications for how we live, work and travel.  It is a global problem and many countries around the world have, in recent years, introduced laws and strategies to reduce emissions from greenhouse gases (GHG) that are known to be harmful to the environment.

As part of the New Decade, New Approach agreement, the Northern Ireland (NI) Executive made a commitment to introduce legislation that would set out how carbon emissions would be reduced in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement pledge “to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.”

The Climate Change (No.2) Bill that has been introduced by the Minister for the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) sets out a framework to deliver on the New Decade, New Approach commitment and establishes legislation to mitigate the effects of Climate Change locally.

The Committee is now seeking views and evidence on this Bill as it is anticipated that it will be referred to the Committee for scrutiny in September 2021.To complete the survey please click here.