Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Just Transition Commission

37.—(1) The Department must by regulations establish a body to be known as the “Just Transition Commission”.

(2) The functions of the Commission are to—

(a) oversee the implementation of the just transition elements of this Act, and

(b) provide advice to the Northern Ireland departments on how to ensure that proposals, policies, strategies and plans required under this Act comply with the just transition principle.

(3) Regulations under subsection (1)—

(a) must make provision for the constitution of the Commission (including, in particular, its membership, general powers and proceedings);

(b) may provide that the Commission is established as a body corporate (and that section 19 of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 applies to it with such modifications (if any) as may be prescribed in the regulations);

(c) may make provision for the payment of remuneration and allowances to members of the Commission, and for the defraying of its expenses;

(d) may make provision in relation to accounting, reporting and record-keeping by the Commission;

(e) may make such further provision in relation to the Commission as the Department considers appropriate.

(4) Regulations made by virtue of subsection (3)(a) must provide for the members of the Commission to include a representative of each of the following—

(a) the agricultural sector;

(b) the fisheries sector;

(c) academia;

(d) trade unions;

(e) youth groups;

(f) civic society;

(g) environmental groups.

(But this does not prevent the regulations from providing for other persons to be members of the Commission.)

(5) Regulations under subsection (1) may also make provision about the functions of the Commission, including provision specifying—

(a) how the oversight function is to be performed;

(b) what the just transition elements of this Act are.