The Climate Change (Reporting Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These regulations specify certain public bodies (“reporting bodies”) for the purposes of section 42(1) of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 (regulation 3 and the Schedule).

Regulation 4 requires a reporting body to prepare prospective reports on how it is adapting to climate change in the exercise of its functions (a “climate change adaptation report”). The first report covers the four years beginning January 2026 and subsequent reports cover periods of five years.

Regulation 5 requires a reporting body to prepare a report every three years on how it has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions and otherwise mitigated the effect of climate change in the exercise of its functions (a “climate change mitigation report”).

Regulation 6 enables the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to issue guidance to reporting bodies on their functions under these Regulations.

Regulation 7 requires reporting bodies to have regard to certain matters including the most recent report on the impact of climate change under section 56 of the Climate Change Act 2008 and the most recent programme for adaptation to climate change under section 60 of that Act.

Regulation 8 provides for co-operation in the preparation of reports and Regulations 9 and 10 provide for joint reports and corrected reports.

Regulation 11 requires any report sent by a reporting body to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs under these Regulations to be published in electronic form by the reporting body and by the Department.