Part 5 – Further Oversight
Section 50: Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner
This section places a duty on the Executive Office, within 24 months of the Act achieving Royal Assent, to establish, through regulations, an independent Northern Ireland Climate Commissioner. The section further specifies the range of aspects which the regulations can cover.
Section 51: Climate action plan
This section places a duty on the Department to publish a climate action plan within 2 years of the Act achieving Royal Assent. The section sets out consultation requirements and requires the climate action plans to include annual greenhouse gas and air quality targets. The requirements for a climate action plan under section 51 are very similar to the requirements for a climate action plan under section 29. It is considered that both sections can be satisfied by the same document.