NI Environment Link (NIEL) has welcomed the announcement that DAERA intends to draft regulations on a Just Transition Commission following agreement at the NI Executive.

Section 37 of The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 requires that DAERA, by regulations, establish an independent Just Transition Commission. “Just Transition” is broadly defined as ensuring that no-one is left behind during the transition to a low-carbon, environmentally sustainable economy.

The Climate Change Act requires the Commission to include representatives from seven sectors. These are: academia, youth groups, civic society, trade unions, fisheries, agriculture and environment. In addition, it is proposed that the Commission will also include representation from energy, transport, the built environment, the rural sector and green finance.

The primary function of the Commission will be to oversee all departments implementation of the just transition elements of the Act and to provide advice to departments on how to ensure emissions reduction policies and proposals comply with the just transition principle and objectives. Following this announcement, the draft Regulations will now proceed to the AERA Committee and the NI Assembly for scrutiny and debate.

NIEL particularly welcomes this announcement as it follows a letter sent to the Executive in December, urging Ministers  to progress a number of key environmental issues as a matter of urgency, including the establishment of a Just Transition Commission. Welcoming progress in the establishment of a Just Transition Commission for climate change policy in Northern Ireland, NIEL CEO, Max Bryant said: “hopefully this development will see a step-change in the progression of a NI Just Transition Commission. There are many factors that make the need urgent, one of which is the relatively poor performance of NI in comparison to other parts of the UK in reducing greenhouse gas emissions since 1990. We believe climate and nature must be at the heart of the transition in order to build a just, sustainable and resilient future.”

The NIEL letter to the Executive can be read in full here.

For more information on the Just Transition Commission announcement, visit the DAERA website.