(1)It is the duty of the relevant Northern Ireland department to lay programmes before the Northern Ireland Assembly setting out—
(a)the objectives of the department in relation to adaptation to climate change,
(b)the department's proposals and policies for meeting those objectives, and
(c)the time-scales for introducing those proposals and policies,
addressing the risks identified in the most recent report under section 56.
(2)The objectives, proposals and policies must be such as to contribute to sustainable development.
(3)The second and each subsequent programme under this section must contain an assessment of the progress made towards implementing the objectives, proposals and policies set out in earlier programmes.
(4)Each programme under this section must be laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly as soon as is reasonably practicable after the laying before Parliament of the report under section 56 to which it relates.
(5)The relevant Northern Ireland department must send a copy of each programme under this section to the other national authorities.