All 40 public bodies required to report on their climate impacts under Northern Ireland’s 2024 regulations have met the first statutory deadline, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs announced at an event at Parliament Buildings on 11 June 2026.

The gathering marked the completion of the first reporting cycles under the Climate Change (Reporting Bodies) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2024. Representatives from councils, education, health, emergency services and other public service providers attended.

Under the regulations, specified bodies must submit reports to DAERA outlining their greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation measures, climate risks and adaptation actions. Two additional organisations participated voluntarily, bringing the total number of submissions to 42.

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said the public sector had a crucial leadership role in responding to climate change and that the reporting cycle had created a strong foundation for future progress. He said engagement and collaboration across public bodies demonstrated a shared commitment to climate action.

Caroline Connor, interim director at the Housing Executive, said her organisation had used the process to strengthen its focus on climate mitigation and sustainability. She said work on energy efficiency, flood resilience and reducing emissions was progressing, and that the approach was helping to deliver warmer homes and more resilient communities.

DAERA said the reports had generated a comprehensive evidence base across the public sector, providing a baseline for measuring future improvements. Some organisations reported they were already seeing energy savings as a result of sustainability measures.

Attendees shared experiences and lessons learned from the first cycle. DAERA is now reviewing the submissions and will publish a summary along with the full mitigation and adaptation reports. The findings are expected to inform policy development and strengthen Northern Ireland’s climate response.