THE STORMONT assembly will today debate a motion urging the introduction of legislation to tackle climate change.
January's New Decade New Approach agreement, which saw the re-establishments of the devolved institutions after three years, included a commitment to reduce carbon emissions, alongside the creation of an independent environmental protection agency to ensure the targets are met.
Today's motion has been tabled by Declan McAleer, chairman of the assembly's agriculture, environment and rural affairs committee.
It calls on environment minister Edwin Poots to introduce a Climate Change Act with "legally binding and ambitious emission reduction targets" within three months.
In February, MLAs supported a motion declaring a climate emergency and backing the creation of an independent environmental watchdog, similar to those operating in Britain and the Republic.
At the time Mr Poots urged caution about enacting legislation, warning that the north did not "want to be bounced into decisions that we later regret".
Speaking last night, former SDLP environment minister Mark H Durkan said the legislation was a "long-overdue necessity".
"The climate crisis is the single greatest challenge facing communities across the world. It’s critical that we all take action," he said.
The Foyle MLA said climate change was "no longer a theory but an irrefutable fact".
"We all have a responsibility to face up to the biggest threat facing our planet and demand change," he said.
"A climate act for Northern Ireland will be a small but critical cog in that fight back."
Green Party leader Clare Bailey said a Climate Change Act was required to "lay the foundations for a regenerative, low carbon economy".
"The climate emergency is the defining challenge of our time," the South Belfast MLA said.
"While we’re rightly focussed on tackling Covid-19 and dealing with the Brexit fall out, the impact of climate breakdown and the biodiversity crisis is set to eclipse any crisis we have experienced before – a Climate Change Act for Northern Ireland is long overdue."
