Public consultation event on NI’s first Carbon Budgets to be held in QUB, co-hosted by SECA, GroundsWell and DAERA

Northern Ireland’s first ever consultation on Carbon Budgets has been launched by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). DAERA recently published (21 June) a consultation on Northern Ireland’s 2030 and 2040 Emissions Reduction Targets and First Three Carbon Budgets. The consultation document and online survey can be accessed here.

This 16-week consultation, running from 21 June to 11 October 2023, aims to receive feedback on the proposed first three carbon budgets 2023-2027, 2028-2032 and 2033-2037 as well as 2030 (48%) and 2040 (77%) interim targets.

As part of the consultation process, QUB’s Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action (SECA) and GroundsWell will co-host a public consultation event with DAERA.

Location: Canada Room and Council Chamber

The consultation event is open to everyone. However, space is limited, so please register via Eventbrite.

We hope that this session will lead to a formal consultation response being submitted. Your contribution to this process would be highly valued.

We strongly encourage you to read the consultation documents in advance.

As well as consulting on the Carbon Budget, DAERA is working collaboratively with all NICS departments and is seeking views on the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) Advice Report: The Path to Net Zero Northern Ireland published on 2 March 2023.

This consultation provides an opportunity to talk about what we need to do to respond to the threat presented by climate change and about the opportunities that might emerge. Work is progressing at pace in developing Northern Ireland’s first ever Climate Action Plan and all NICS departments have a legislative duty to set out how they will reduce emissions. This consultation and the conversations that will take place will be used to help inform the draft Climate Action Plan.