COMMITTEE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Environment Committee Office
Room 247
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
BT4 3XX
william.long@niassembly.gov.uk
Tel 028 9052 1347
Fax 028 9052 1795

Ms Una Downey
Assembly Liaison Officer
Central Management Branch
4th Floor
Clarence Court
Adelaide Street
Belfast
BT2 8GB

07 September 2007

Dear Una

Committee response to UK Climate Change Bill

At its meeting on 07 September 2007, the Committee for the Environment considered a number of questions from the Minister, Arlene Foster, in her letter dated 28 June 2007, relating to the UK Climate Change Bill.

The Members have agreed the following comments:

Statutory Targets

• The Committee for the Environment support UK carbon reduction targets as set out in the draft UK Bill.
• The Committee for the Environment believe that we should sign up to the UK Bill as presented but with a commitment to provide for Northern Ireland targets at a future point.

Carbon Budgets

• The Committee for the Environment believe that we need specific Northern Ireland representation on the Independent Climate Change Committee.
• The Committee for the Environment believe that the Independent Climate Change Committee should provide advice independently to the Northern Ireland Executive as well as the UK Government.
• The Committee for the Environment believe that there is a need for an independent sub-committee structure (in an independent Climate Change Committee) within Northern Ireland.

Enabling Powers

• The Committee for the Environment consider the enabling powers as helpful for the introduction, subject to Northern Ireland consent, of other climate change initiatives.
• The Committee for the Environment can foresee other Northern Ireland initiatives on climate change mitigation that would avail of the enabling provisions. The Committee believe that the relevant Department could carry out a scoping exercise to identify such initiatives which could be facilitated through the proposed sub-committee structure.

Reporting

• The Committee believe that the reporting arrangements and frequency are adequate.
• The Committee for the Environment believes that the Northern Ireland Executive require a separate reporting line on Northern Ireland carbon performance.

The Committee for the Environment support the Climate Change Coalition Northern Ireland recommendations for:

1. A process whereby the Assembly can consent to the draft UK Climate Change Bill.
2. Carbon reduction strategies that will reduce emissions at the same time as the UK as a whole.
3. The establishment of a Northern Ireland sub-committee of the proposed Climate Change Committee.

The Committee for the Environment would request a copy of any report by DETI on business competitiveness and GHG emissions.

Yours Sincerely

William Long
Environment Committee Office