Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Sectoral plans

Sectoral plans

13.—(1) The Northern Ireland departments must develop and publish plans for areas of the economy, to be known as sectoral plans, setting out how the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4 will be achieved by sector.

(2) These must include proposals and policies to ensure the targets set out in sections 1, 3 and 4 are achieved.

(3) Interim sectoral reports must be published in line with the targets set out in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(4) Sectoral plans shall also support a just transition by—

(a) supporting the creation of secure green jobs and building pathways into green careers in partnership with industry and unions, with workers’ rights and health and safety at the centre;

(b) ensuring that workers and communities dependent on the high carbon economy are supported with the transition;

(c) supporting the transition to a green economy with net-zero carbon investment and infrastructure; and

(d) tackling inequality and breaking down barriers of division.

(5) The Department must make arrangements with the other Northern Ireland departments to secure co-operation and the submission of information for subsection (1), including the format and detail of the requirement outlined in subsection (3).

Sectoral plans for energy

14.—(1) The Department for the Economy must develop and publish sectoral plans for the energy sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(2) Sectoral plans for energy must include proposals and policies for energy production and the supply of private and public heating and cooling systems.

Renewable electricity consumption

15.  The Department for the Economy must ensure that at least 80% of electricity consumption is from renewable sources by 2030.

Sectoral plans for infrastructure

16.—(1) The Department for Infrastructure must develop and publish sectoral plans for the infrastructure sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(2) Sectoral plans for infrastructure must include proposals and policies for planning and construction.

Sectoral plans for industrial processes

17.  The Department for the Economy must develop and publish sectoral plans for the industrial processes sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

Sectoral plans for waste management

18.—(1) The Department must ensure that at least 70% of waste is recycled by 2030.

(2) The Department must develop and publish sectoral plans for the waste management sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4 and subsection (1) of this section.

Sectoral plans for agriculture

19.—(1) The Department must develop and publish sectoral plans for the agriculture sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(2) Sectoral plans for agriculture must contain proposals for carrying out fully funded carbon audits of farms to assess where performance improvements and savings can be made.

(3) As part of the carbon auditing process, carbon sequestration measures already being conducted by the sector should be calculated.

Sectoral plans for fisheries

20.—(1) The Department must develop and publish sectoral plans for the fisheries sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(2) Sectoral plans for fisheries must include proposals and policies for sea fisheries and the inland fisheries industry.

Sectoral plans for transport

21.—(1) The Department for Infrastructure must develop and publish sectoral plans for the transport sector setting out how the sector will contribute to the achievement of the targets in sections 1, 3 and 4.

(2) Sectoral plans for transport must include proposals and policies for public and private transport.

Active travel

22.  The Department for Infrastructure must develop sectoral plans for transport which set a minimum spend on active travel from the overall transport budgets of 10%.