Consultation on Fourth Carbon Budget launched
Date published:
DAERA has today launched a consultation on Northern Ireland’s Fourth Carbon Budget. The 16-week consultation will run from 28 July 2025 to 17 November 2025 and seeks views on the setting of the level of the Fourth Carbon Budget for Northern Ireland.
In launching the consultation the DAERA Minister, Andrew Muir MLA, said: “The setting of carbon budgets is an important step in ensuring that we have a gradual transition to net zero which can be done in a fair and just way.”
He added: “Following on from setting the first three carbon budgets in December 2024, which covered the period from 2023 to 2037, my Department is now seeking views on setting Northern Ireland’s Fourth Carbon Budget which would take us up to 2042.
"Whilst 2038 is 12 years away, it is important to set out a trajectory now, not only to meet the legal requirements set out in the Act, but to provide certainty to investors, businesses and to allow for gradual transition which can be delivered in a fair and just way as we work to reduce our emissions.
"Over the last few months, I have launched consultations seeking your views on Northern Ireland’s first Climate Action Plan and our third Climate Change Adaptation Programme.
"I acknowledge and appreciate the time and effort it takes to respond to these consultations. I am grateful to those who have engaged to date as your views and opinions are important to my Department.
"This latest consultation is a further step in our climate change journey and I encourage all interested organisations, groups, and individuals to provide their views on this latest consultation."
The consultation can be accessed on the DAERA website.
Notes to editors:
- A carbon budget is the maximum amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted in a given 5-year period and is expressed as an annual average percentage reduction level over that period.
- The plans and policies will be brought forward to deliver on the Fourth Carbon Budget will be included in the Fourth Climate Action Plan (CAP4), which will be due to be published during 2038, and which would be subject to its own 16-week public consultation.
- Section 27 of the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 requires that Carbon Budgets from the fourth one onwards are set at least 12 years before the start of the period in question. As such DAERA have launched this consultation to seek views now.
- The 2022 Climate Change Act requires that the Fourth Carbon Budget must be set at a level which is consistent with meeting the already legislated for emissions reduction targets for 2040 and for 2050
- The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Its purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
- The Climate Change (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 sets a statutory target of Net Zero (100% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 1990 baseline) by 2050 and includes a number of requirements such as setting 5-year carbon budgets to cap emissions and also the development and publication of Northern Ireland’s Climate Action Plans to accompany each carbon budget period.
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