Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022

Carbon units: accounting scheme

12.—(1) The Department may by regulations make provision for a scheme—

(a) for registering or otherwise keeping track of carbon units, or

(b) for establishing and maintaining accounts in which carbon units may be held, and between which they may be transferred, by the Department.

(2) The regulations may provide for an existing scheme to be adapted for those purposes.

(3) The regulations may—

(a) appoint a person or body (an “administrator”) to administer the scheme, or provide that the Department is to do so;

(b) establish a body for the purpose of administering the scheme and make provision in relation to the appointment of members, staffing, expenditure and procedure of that body;

(c) confer or impose functions on the administrator for the purpose of administering the scheme;

(d) confer power on the Department to give guidance or directions to the administrator;

(e) require the payment by persons using the scheme of charges (of an amount determined by or under the regulations) towards the cost of operating it.

(4) If regulations adapt an existing scheme or appoint an existing person to administer the scheme, the regulations may amend any statutory provision relating to the existing scheme or existing person.