Climate change: Edwin Poots aims to bring second bill to assembly

A private member's bill on climate change is already making its way through the assembly

The agriculture minister says he intends to bring a second climate change bill to the assembly for consideration.

A private member's bill is already making its way through the legislative process.

Edwin Poots told MLAs drafting of his bill was well advanced and he hoped to circulate it soon.

He claimed he had been trying to table policy proposals for executive approval from 24 March.

However, he said his efforts had been obstructed.

Mr Poots has been critical of the private member's bill, which would mandate Northern Ireland to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

An independent advisory body on climate to government has recommended a cut of at least 82% by 2050 as a fair contribution to the UK's wider net zero target.

Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots said the current climate change bill would predominately affect beef and sheep farmers in upland areas

The Climate Change Committee said it did not see a credible path to net zero for Northern Ireland by 2050, even if there were to be a dramatic reduction in livestock, whose methane makes up the bulk of emissions.

The minister, farmers and the agri-food industry claim the 2045 target would have a disproportionate impact on the sector, which, at 27%, is the highest emitting in Northern Ireland.

'Disneyworld' bill

Speaking in the assembly, Mr Poots described the private member's bill as a "Disneyworld" bill that would predominately affect beef and sheep farmers in upland areas.

In response to a question from Sinn Féin, Mr Poots said he hoped they could live with "rushed" legislation.

"I hope you will be able to go back to north Antrim and tell farmers that they aren't needed anymore because Sinn Féin wants to back a climate bill which hasn't went through the regular process of consultation, which hasn't been costed and which hasn't taken the independent advice that's available."

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Sinn Féin said climate legislation had been a commitment in the New Decade, New Approach document and the private member's bill was a response to inaction by the minister on the issue.

TUV leader Jim Alister questioned whether Mr Poots could bring his Climate Bill to the assembly without the assent of the executive.

Mr Poots said the current bill's biggest impact would be felt in predominately nationalist constituencies

Mr Poots accepted there was a "lot of truth" in what had been said.

He suggested it would become an uncomfortable issue for Sinn Féin because the current bill would have the biggest impact on farmers on marginal ground in predominately nationalist constituencies.

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood described Mr Poots as "a political leader who doesn't believe in science".

"The trade deal that their Brexiteer friends in Whitehall are about to agree with Australia will lead, in the medium term, to a flood of low price, low quality meat products that will fundamentally distort local markets," he said,

"The only protection we have is the protocol which they want to shred."