Northern Ireland began 2021 without climate change legislation and is ending the year with two bills in a race on the path to becoming law. Each have differing targets, with Climate Change Bill No. 1 proposing to reach Net Zero by 2045. The private member’s bill from Green Party leader Clare Bailey is viewed as more ambitious than No. 2. A short-lived bid to find a compromise between the two bills foundered in the autumn, and it remains to be seen which, if either, will cross the legislative finish line before this assembly’s mandate ends in March. Will 2022 be the year for the legislation ?

