Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Definitions

Meaning of “carbon unit”

59.  In this Act, a “carbon unit” is a unit of a kind specified in regulations made by the Department and representing—

(a) a reduction in an amount of greenhouse gas emissions,

(b) the removal of an amount of greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, or

(c) an amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed under a scheme or arrangement imposing a limit on such emissions.

Meaning of “greenhouse gas”

60.—(1) In this Act, “greenhouse gas” means any of the following—

(a) carbon dioxide;

(b) methane;

(c) nitrous oxide;

(d) hydrofluorocarbons;

(e) perfluorocarbons;

(f) sulphur hexafluoride;

(g) nitrogen trifluoride.

(2) The Department may by regulations amend the list of greenhouse gases in subsection (1) so as to add a gas.

Meaning and measurement of emissions

61.—(1) In this Act, “emissions”, in relation to a greenhouse gas, means emissions of that gas into the atmosphere that are attributable to human activity.

(2) Each of the following must be measured or calculated in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent—

(a) emissions of greenhouse gases;

(b) reductions in greenhouse gas emissions;

(c) removals of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

(3) A “tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent” means one metric tonne of carbon dioxide or an amount of any other greenhouse gas with an equivalent global warming potential, calculated consistently with international carbon reporting practice (see section 63).

Meaning of “sector”

62.  In this Act “sector” or “sectors” refers to one or all of the following—

(a) energy production and supply (including for residential, public and district heating and cooling purposes);

(b) transport (including shipping and aviation);

(c) infrastructure (including infrastructure for electric vehicular transport);

(d) business and industrial processes;

(e) residential and public (in relation to buildings in these sectors);

(f) waste management;

(g) land use and land-use change, including forestry;

(h) agriculture; and

(i) the provision of financial assistance to any person in connection with—

(i) the promotion of economic development in Northern Ireland or any part of Northern Ireland; and

(ii) the provision of infrastructure, goods or services in Northern Ireland or any part of Northern Ireland.

Other definitions

63.  In this Act—

“the Committee on Climate Change” means the Committee of that name established by Part 2 of the Climate Change Act 2008;

“the Department” means the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs;

“emissions target” means a target set by section 1, 3 or 4;

“international carbon reporting practice” means accepted practice in relation to reporting for the purposes of—

(a)

the protocols to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, or

(b)

such other international agreements or arrangements as the Department may specify by regulations;

“Northern Ireland emissions” has the meaning given by section 9(2);

“Northern Ireland removals” has the meaning given by section 9(3).