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Environment Committee Inquiry into Climate Change
Aim
"To understand the implications of climate change for Northern Ireland and to make recommendations on government policies, in line with the Committee’s earlier response on the UK Climate Change Bill, to mitigate the impacts of climate change, examine economic implications and identify suitable adaptation initiatives."
Terms of Reference
- To identify initial commitments for Northern Ireland that will ensure it plays a fair and proportionate role as part of the UK in meeting climate change targets.
- To consider the necessary actions and a route map for each significant sector in Northern Ireland (energy, transport, agriculture and land use, business, domestic, public sector etc)
- To identify the costs associated with meeting these obligations and compare them with the costs that will be incurred if they are not achieved.
- To identify a formal cost effective mechanism for assessing the potential impact of new policies on climate change / CO² emissions. (Akin to Regulatory Impact Assessments/Rural Proofing)
- To make recommendations for appropriate targets/actions that could be included in the new Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Implementation Plan.
- To make recommendations on a public service agreement for the DOE Climate Change Unit’s commitments in the second Programme for Government that will ensure Northern Ireland will meet its climate change obligations.
- To consider what secondary legislation raising powers within the UK Climate Change Act would contribute to Northern Ireland’s commitment to the UK Climate Change Bill.
- To express views on if and how the Assembly might conduct more effective scrutiny of climate change responsibilities across all relevant departments.
- To produce a report on the findings and recommendations of the inquiry by September 2009.
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