UK Act of Parliament 2022 Northern Ireland

Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Read the Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
NIEA
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Regulated

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Plus 48 duties on the regulator, Crown ministers and public bodies — folded into the section list below.

What it requires

Sections creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

Emissions Targets And Sectoral Plans

15 of 22 sections shown
s.001 The emissions targets for 2050 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must meet 2050 net zero emissions targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.002 Emissions targets for 2030 and 2040 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must set 2030 and 2040 emissions targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.003 The emissions target for 2040 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must meet 2040 emissions reduction targetCrown / Minister / Government department
s.004 The emissions target for 2030 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must meet 2030 emissions reduction targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.011 Crediting and debiting of carbon units (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department must regulate the use of carbon units for emissions accountingCrown / Minister / Government department
s.013 Sectoral plans (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must develop and publish economic sectoral plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.014 Sectoral plans for energy (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for the Economy must publish energy sector climate plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.015 Renewable electricity consumption (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for the Economy must meet 80% renewable electricity target by 2030Crown / Minister / Government department
s.016 Sectoral plans for infrastructure (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for Infrastructure must publish sectoral plans for infrastructureCrown / Minister / Government department
s.017 Sectoral plans for industrial processes (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for the Economy must publish industrial decarbonisation plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.018 Sectoral plans for waste management (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must publish waste management sectoral plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.019 Sectoral plans for agriculture (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland government must develop and publish agricultural sector plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.020 Sectoral plans for fisheries (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must publish fisheries sector decarbonisation plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.021 Sectoral plans for transport (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for Infrastructure must publish transport sector carbon plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.022 Active travel (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department for Infrastructure must allocate 10% of transport budget to active travelCrown / Minister / Government department
7 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.005 Power to amend emissions targets (opens in a new tab)
s.006 Duty to consider whether to revise targets (opens in a new tab)
s.007 Meaning of “baseline” (opens in a new tab)
s.008 Meaning of “net Northern Ireland emissions account” (opens in a new tab)
s.009 Meaning of “net Northern Ireland emissions” (opens in a new tab)
s.010 Meaning of “Northern Ireland emissions”: international aviation and shipping (opens in a new tab)
s.012 Carbon units: accounting scheme (opens in a new tab)
Part 2

Carbon Budgets

6 of 6 sections shown
s.023 Carbon budgets (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Department must set carbon budgets and conduct impact assessmentsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.024 Emissions not to exceed carbon budget (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must meet carbon budget targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.025 Setting of carbon budgets: principles (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • DAERA must set carbon budgets for Northern Ireland through 2052Crown / Minister / Government department
s.026 Setting of carbon budgets: social, environmental and economic factors (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must consider business and economic factorsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.027 Setting of carbon budgets: timing (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must set and publish carbon budgetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.028 Carrying amounts from one budgetary period to another (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department may adjust carbon budgets between periodsCrown / Minister / Government department
Part 3

Reports and Statements against Targets and Budgets etc

13 of 14 sections shown
s.029 Proposals and policies for meeting carbon budget (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must develop climate action plans and consultCrown / Minister / Government department
s.030 Requirements for proposals and policies under section 29 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • NI Departments must assess business and social impacts of climate policiesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.031 Just Transition Fund for Agriculture (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must establish a Just Transition Fund for AgricultureCrown / Minister / Government department
s.032 Proposals and policies: targets (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Government must set climate targets for soil, biodiversity, and air qualityCrown / Minister / Government department
s.033 Proposals and policies: further provision (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Departments must ensure sector-specific carbon targets are metCrown / Minister / Government department
s.034 Proposals and policies: nature based solutions (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Government must support nature-based solutions in climate policiesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.035 Proposals and policies: workforce, employers and communities (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Department must support small businesses in climate action plansCrown / Minister / Government department
s.036 Proposals and policies: carbon leakage (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must assess carbon leakage risk in new policiesCrown / Minister / Government department
s.038 Interim progress reporting for budgetary period (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must report on climate action progressCrown / Minister / Government department
s.039 Final statement for budgetary period (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must report on carbon budget performanceCrown / Minister / Government department
s.040 Proposals and policies where carbon budget not met (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • NI Department must report on corrective actions if carbon budgets are missedCrown / Minister / Government department
s.041 Statements on compliance with emissions targets (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • NI Government must report on emissions targets for 2030, 2040, and 2050Crown / Minister / Government department
s.042 Climate change reporting by public bodies (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Department must create climate change reporting rules for public bodiesCrown / Minister / Government department
1 other section in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.037 Just Transition Commission (opens in a new tab)
Part 4

Reports by Committee on Climate Change

7 of 7 sections shown
s.043 Progress report during first budgetary period (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must report on emissions progressStatutory regulator
s.044 Progress reports after statement about each budgetary period (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must report on carbon budget progressStatutory regulator
s.045 Progress report after statement about emissions target for 2030 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must report on 2040 and 2050 emission targetsStatutory regulator
s.046 Progress report after statement about emissions target for 2040 (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must report on 2050 emissions targetsStatutory regulator
s.047 Response to progress reports (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must respond to climate progress reportsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.048 Adaptation programme reports (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must report on NI adaptation progressStatutory regulator
s.049 Response to adaptation programme reports (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • NI Department must respond to climate adaptation reportsCrown / Minister / Government department
Part 5

FURTHER OVERSIGHT

2 of 2 sections shown
s.050 Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Executive Office must establish a Northern Ireland Climate CommissionerCrown / Minister / Government department
s.051 Climate action plan (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Department must publish and consult on climate action plansCrown / Minister / Government department
Part 6

Supplementary

5 of 14 sections shown
s.052 Duties to ensure that targets etc are met (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland departments must align policies with climate targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.054 Regulations that amend or add an emissions target or amend a carbon budget (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Department must follow strict criteria when changing emissions targetsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.055 Regulations that specify a different baseline year or change a budgetary period (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • The Department must justify changes to climate baselines or budget periodsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.056 Requirement to obtain advice about proposals to make regulations (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Northern Ireland Department must seek and publish climate advice for regulationsCrown / Minister / Government department
s.057 Advice about proposed regulations relating to targets (opens in a new tab) Regulated
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Climate Change Committee must provide specific advice on target changesStatutory regulator
9 other sections in this Part — procedural and definitional
s.053 Regulations: general (opens in a new tab)
s.058 Advice about proposed regulations relating to budgets (opens in a new tab)
s.059 Meaning of “carbon unit” (opens in a new tab)
s.060 Meaning of “greenhouse gas” (opens in a new tab)
s.061 Meaning and measurement of emissions (opens in a new tab)
s.062 Meaning of “sector” (opens in a new tab)
s.063 Other definitions (opens in a new tab)
s.064 Commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.065 Short title (opens in a new tab)

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

1 more guide that reference this instrument
Environmental permits in Northern Ireland: applying to NIEA

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.