Debate contribution: Climate Action: DAERA Delivery
Debate contribution by Mr Andrew Muir on .
- MLA
- Mr Andrew Muir
- Party at the time
- Alliance Party
- Date
- 20 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Climate Action: DAERA Delivery
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5798575
Read the official Assembly record
Text
My Department is driving a broad programme of climate action through cutting emissions, building resilience and delivering a fair transition for all people, businesses and rural communities. That work includes delivering the Northern Ireland climate change adaptation programme, establishing the just transition commission and developing a just transition fund for agriculture alongside action across government to meet the carbon budgets and emissions targets set out in legislation. Northern Ireland’s first climate action plan (CAP1) has been completed and is awaiting Executive approval — it has been awaiting it since August. CAP1 will provide the coordinated, cross-government framework for delivering the first carbon budget. Many of the policies within CAP1 are already under way, delivering emissions reductions. Publication of the plan will give Departments, businesses and communities much greater certainty about the transition ahead. Securing Executive approval without delay is a necessity. At the same time, work is progressing on the second climate action plan, which will cover 2028 to 2032 and demand a step change in the ambition and strength of policies across government if they are to meet the scale of the challenge ahead. Notably, the recent Court of Appeal judgement on the A5 project, which I welcome, provided important clarity that essential infrastructure and climate action are not mutually exclusive. It also reinforced the fact that every Department has responsibility to be able to demonstrate that its decisions are consistent with the obligations placed on it by the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022. Meeting those obligations demands shared ownership across the Executive and urgent and ambitious action across government. To those who have directed commentary on the A5 scheme at me, I say that I await your apologies.
281 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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