Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015

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Presentation of annual transition statement to each House of the Oireachtas

14. (1) An annual transition statement shall, in accordance with this section, be presented to each House of the Oireachtas not later than 12 months after the passing of this Act, and not later than each subsequent anniversary of such passing.

(2) An annual transition statement shall comprise, in relation to the year immediately preceding the year in which the statement is presented—

(a) a statement (in this Act referred to as an “annual national transition statement”) to be presented to each House of the Oireachtas by the Minister and such statement shall include the matters specified in subsection (4)(a),

(b) a statement (in this Act referred to as an “annual sectoral mitigation transition statement”) to be presented to each House of the Oireachtas by each Minister of the Government to whom subsection (3) applies and each such statement shall include the matters specified in subsection (4)(b), and

(c) if a request under subsection (5) is made, a statement (in this Act referred to as an “annual sectoral adaptation transition statement”) to be presented to each House of the Oireachtas by each Minister of the Government to whom such request is made and each such statement shall include the matters specified in subsection (4)(c).

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b), this subsection applies to each Minister of the Government who has, in accordance with section 4 (3)(b), submitted sectoral mitigation measures to the Minister that are included, pursuant to section 4 (2)(d), in the most recent approved national mitigation plan.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2) —

(a) an annual national transition statement shall include—

(i) an overview of the mitigation policy measures adopted to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in order to enable the achievement of the national transition objective,

(ii) an overview of the adaptation policy measures that have been adopted in order to enable the State to adapt to the effects of climate change and to enable the achievement of the national transition objective,

(iii) a record of emissions of greenhouse gases set out in the most recent national greenhouse gas emissions inventory prepared by the Agency,

(iv) a projection of future greenhouse gas emissions prepared by the Agency, and

(v) a report on compliance, by the State, with any existing obligation of the State under the law of the European Union or an international agreement referred to in section 2 ,

(b) an annual sectoral mitigation transition statement shall include—

(i) a record of the sectoral mitigation measures adopted by the Minister of the Government presenting the annual sectoral mitigation transition statement concerned, and

(ii) an assessment of the effectiveness of the sectoral mitigation measures referred to in sub paragraph (i) in the achievement of their purpose,

and

(c) an annual sectoral adaptation transition statement shall include—

(i) a record of the adaptation policy measures adopted by the Minister of the Government presenting the annual sectoral adaptation statement concerned, and

(ii) an assessment of the effectiveness of the adaptation policy measures referred to in sub paragraph (i) in the achievement of their purpose.

(5) Where, having regard to the requirements of adaptation in relation to the effects of climate change and the furthering of the national transition objective, the Minister considers it appropriate, the Minister may, in any year, request a Minister of the Government—

(a) to whom a request under section 6 (1) has been made to make a sectoral adaptation plan, or

(b) who has, in accordance with section 6 , made a sectoral adaptation plan,

to present to each House of the Oireachtas an annual sectoral adaptation transition statement.

(6) Where—

(a) a request under section 6 (1) has been made to the Minister to make a sectoral adaptation plan or the Minister has, in accordance with section 6 , made a sectoral adaptation plan, and

(b) the Minister, having regard to the requirements of adaptation in relation to the effects of climate change and the furthering of the national transition objective, considers it appropriate,

the Minister may, in any year, present to each House of the Oireachtas an annual sectoral adaptation transition statement and references in this section to a request under subsection (5) shall be construed as including a sectoral adaptation plan presented in accordance with this subsection.