Environment Act 2021

Monitoring and reporting on the Department’s environmental improvement plans

1 (1) The OEP must monitor progress in improving the natural environment in accordance with the current environmental improvement plan.

(2) The OEP must prepare a progress report for each annual reporting period.

(3) A progress report for an annual reporting period is a report on progress made in that period in improving the natural environment in accordance with the current environmental improvement plan.

(4) An annual reporting period is a period for which the Department must prepare a report under paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 (a “Schedule 2 report”).

(5) In reporting on progress made in an annual reporting period, the OEP must consider—

(a) the Schedule 2 report for that period,

(b) the data published by the Department under paragraph 5 of Schedule 2 that relates to that period, and

(c) any other reports, documents or information it considers appropriate.

(6) A progress report for an annual reporting period may include—

(a) consideration of how progress could be improved, and

(b) consideration of the adequacy of the data published by the Department under paragraph 5 of Schedule 2.

(7) The OEP must—

(a) arrange for its reports under this paragraph to be laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly, and

(b) publish them.

(8) A progress report for an annual reporting period must be laid no later than 6 months after the Schedule 2 report for that period is laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly.

(9) The Department must—

(a) respond to a report under this paragraph, and

(b) lay before the Northern Ireland Assembly, and publish, a copy of the response.

(10) Where a report under this paragraph contains a recommendation for how progress could be improved, the response must address that recommendation.

(11) The response—

(a) must be laid no later than 12 months after the report is laid, and

(b) may be included in a Schedule 2 report.