COMMITTEE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
Environment Committee Office
Room 245
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
BT4 3XX
alex.mcgarel@niassembly.gov.uk
Tel 028 9052 1347
Fax 028 9052 1795
Mr Sammy Wilson MP MLA
Minister of the Environment
Room 717
Clarence Court
10-18 Adelaide Street
BELFAST
BT2 8GB
23 January 2009
Dear Minister
On 22 December 2008 you wrote to the Committee inviting its views on a number of issues emanating from the UK Climate Change Act 2008 and the recent report of the independent Committee on Climate Change.
With regard to the level of the first three carbon budgets and the level of the 2020 target the Committee was in support of the UK reduction targets as set out in the Climate Change Bill in 2007. However it was keen to see provision for Northern Ireland targets at a future point and believed that the Climate Change Committee should provide advice independently to Northern Ireland as well as the UK Government.
As you are aware the Committee recently announced its intention to hold an inquiry into climate change and is currently in the process of inviting written comment on the terms of reference. The views presented now therefore are based on previous discussions during the pre-legislative phase of the UK Climate Change Bill. The Committee would welcome the opportunity to make further comment on the above targets, the limit on the use of carbon units and the UK Government’s proposals for carbon accounting when it has completed its inquiry.
One of the major elements of the Committee’s Climate Change inquiry will be to consider the financial implications of addressing climate change in Northern Ireland. The Committee notes your concerns about the impact of implementing the Climate Change Act on GDP and fuel poverty and will endeavor to reach a well informed position on these specific areas over the next few months.
Yours sincerely