Northern Ireland’s draft Climate Action Plan 2023-2027
In 2022, Northern Ireland passed its first climate legislation. The Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 sets an ambitious target to reduce Northern Ireland’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net zero by 2050. This means that we must remove at least as many emissions from our atmosphere as we produce.
The Act requires us to prepare and publish a Climate Action Plan every five years. This plan sets out policies and proposals to achieve required reductions in emissions and the actions to enable this to happen. The focus of this draft Climate Action Plan is on meeting the first carbon budget, 2023-2027.
Developing this draft Climate Action Plan has provided a significant opportunity to work together, across government, across sectors and across society, to address the most important challenge of our time. Significant collaboration has taken place across departments to understand the Act’s requirements (including roles and responsibilities), determine the strategic direction, identify methodologies and agree the content of this pivotal plan.
In addition to setting carbon budgets and interim emissions reduction targets, the Act requires that this Climate Action Plan must also include annual targets for greenhouse gas emissions. The Assembly agreed the first three carbon budgets and interim emissions reduction targets in December 2024.
A commitment to develop the first Climate Action Plan is included in the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme for Government (PfG) which was agreed on 27 February 2025. The PfG also recognises the need for greater collaboration to tackle climate change through the development of a Northern Ireland Climate Action Plan across all government departments.
Purpose of the Climate Action Plan 2023-2027 Public Consultation
DAERA is responsible for leading the preparation and publication of this draft Climate Action Plan on behalf of the Northern Ireland Executive and is required to carry out a 16-week public consultation on the draft plan, subsequently, to lay the results of the public consultation before the Assembly and at the same time, lay a final Climate Action Plan. In fulfilling these responsibilities, each Northern Ireland department is required to provide DAERA with its proposals and policies in its areas of responsibility.
A collaborative, cross government approach will also be taken to this consultation. The main aim of the consultation is to gather consultees’ views on the proposed Climate Action Plan. This will ensure that public dialogue on climate action is enhanced and that the draft Climate Action Plan will be informed by a strong evidence base of public opinion.
You can access the consultation documents here:
You can also access the online survey and details of the upcoming consultation events here:
Hard copies of the consultation document, and alternative formats, can be provided upon request from:
Climate Action Delivery Division
Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Clare House
303 Airport Road West
Belfast BT3 9ED
E-mail: climateactionplan@daera-ni.gov.uk
Telephone: (028) 9081 6904
The deadline for responses is Wednesday 08 October 2025 @ 11:59pm.