This is a letter from Nigel Topping CMG, Chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC), to Richard Johnston, Director of Agricultural Policy at the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) of Northern Ireland.

The letter is in response to a request for advice on the Northern Ireland Just Transition Fund for Agriculture draft Regulations, in line with the Climate Change Act (Northern Ireland) 2022.

• While the Committee is not able to assess whether the proposed Fund is appropriately designed to support the agriculture sector’s contribution to Northern Ireland’s statutory climate targets, we are aware an accompanying Policy Framework is being developed with more information on the Fund’s objectives, outcomes, and eligibility criteria.
• We would welcome the opportunity to review the Policy Framework once sufficiently developed, and ask that the Committee is consulted on it before the Policy Framework and associated arrangements for the Fund are finalised.