Call for evidence and views on the Climate Change Bill

Closed 15 Jul 2021

Opened 20 May 2021

Contact

Northern Ireland Assembly

Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

Committee.AgriEnvRural@niassembly.gov.uk

Results updated 16 Dec 2021

 

Climate Change No.1 Bill

Call-for-Evidence Summary Report

 

Overview

The report summarises the feedback received from members of the public and stakeholder organisations in response to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (AERA) call-for-evidence to support its scrutiny of the Climate Change (No.1) Bill that has been sponsored by a Private Member.

It encompasses an analysis of the information gathered via engagements carried out between May and July 2021 and synthesises the key points in order to assist the Committee in their deliberations and considerations of the Bill.

Call-for-Evidence Activities

The Committee facilitated a number of different activities in order to attract a wide range of views and perspectives from stakeholders given the significant and cross-cutting nature of the proposed legislation, as well as its potential impact on all sectors of the local economy and for future generations.

The report encompasses the information collated via:

  • Responses to the Committee’s call-for-evidence template that was made available on the Citizen Space platform between 20 May and 15 July 2021

 

  • Other free-format written submissions sent to the Committee’s public email address during this time period including over 1,000 responses sent via the Friends of the Earth (FOE) website

 

  • The headline messages and feedback arising from stakeholder events conducted on 17 June 2021 with representatives from various organisations

 

  • Focus Groups facilitated by the Assembly’s Education team with 16 primary and secondary schools in June 2021

 

The full report and the published responses from those who submitted online can be found below.

Files:

Links:

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

Illustration graphic of green energy made of grass, including solar panels, cargo ship, wind turbines, buildings, factories, a large lorry and an electricity tower set against a blue sky filled with bright white clouds.

Climate Change is one of the most important issues facing our society and how we address it could affect how we live, work and travel. 

The Climate Change Bill that has recently come before the Northern Ireland (NI) Assembly sets out a framework to mitigate the effects of Climate Change in the coming years. 

This includes reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and balancing the amount removed by our industries and through energy use.

The Bill proposes several mechanisms to help achieve its aims including establishment of Climate Action Plans across various sectors and regular reporting to monitor progress in terms of delivering the net-zero target. 

Why your views matter

As part of the NI Assembly’s normal legislative processes, the Climate Change Bill has been referred to the Assembly’s Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (AERA) for scrutiny and evaluation.  

The Committee is seeking views from stakeholders on the objectives, proposals and potential consequences of the Bill so it can understand how the legislation could affect different parts of society and how effective it may be in achieving its aims. 

Your views will help to inform the AERA Committee’s consideration of the Climate Change Bill and any recommendations it may suggest as the Bill moves to the next stage of the legislative process. 

If you would like to request an alternative format to give comments, please contact the Committee Clerk at the following email address: Committee.AgriEnvRural@niassembly.gov.uk