NI politicians have been accused of blocking a draft climate change bill which has been prepared by DAERA officials. The draft bill would require greenhouse gas emissions in NI to reduce by at least 82% by 2050.

It was developed by civil servants after a public consultation was conducted last December and is based on recommendations from the Climate Change Committee, an advisory body to the UK government.

It is a different bill from that brought forward by Green Party MLA Clare Bailey, which passed its second reading on Monday, and would make it a legal requirement for NI to have net zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Let us get it out here to debate it. Let us have the legislation that was publicly consulted

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots said the DAERA bill was sent to the NI Executive for approval on 24 March, but it has still not been allowed to proceed.

Speaking at Stormont, Minister Poots suggested that some ministers are intentionally delaying the DAERA proposals to help the passage of the Green Party bill through the Assembly.

“Your own colleagues are holding it back,” Minister Poots said in response to Sinn Féin MLA Declan McAleer.

“Let us get it out here to debate it. Let us have the legislation that was publicly consulted,” the DUP politician said.

A spokesperson for DAERA told the Irish Farmers Journal that the department’s bill includes “balanced and evidence-based” proposals for tackling climate change.

A cross-party commitment for the NI Executive to “introduce legislation and targets for reducing carbon emissions” was included in the New Decade New Approach deal in January 2020.