Oral Statement - Climate Change Strategy

The First Minister and I launched the climate change strategy for Wales at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth on 7 October. This statement provides Members with an opportunity to discuss the strategy and its implementation, and a brief update on the Climate Change Commission for Wales meeting that took place following the launch of the strategy.

The publication of the strategy is a key step in the delivery of the 'One Wales’ commitment to annual reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of 3 per cent per year in areas of devolved competence by 2011.It confirms our level of ambition in tackling the causes and consequences of climate change, but it also recognises that the science demands even more of us, and of governments and populations around the world. We recognise that the Assembly Government must provide leadership on tackling climate change. That means providing a clear framework and setting challenging targets, which is what the strategy does, and ensuring that the Assembly Government delivers specific actions to achieve emission reduction and effective adaptation, which is what the delivery plans set out.

The climate change strategy confirms our targets, the areas where we will act, and how we will work with our partners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable effective adaptation in Wales. The delivery plans set out the specific actions that we will take to limit greenhouse gas emissions and adjust to the changes in our climate that we cannot avoid. We have focused our action on where we can make the greatest difference, and we will regularly review our actions. Achieving our aims will depend on everyone making an active and meaningful contribution; individuals, communities, the third sector, business, Government, and the wider public sector, all have critical roles to play. Therefore, the strategy and the delivery plans also highlight the role that all those other groups will play in enabling delivery.

Our vision for Wales using only its fair share of resources, and becoming a fairer and more just society, was established in our sustainable development scheme, 'One Wales: One Planet’, and is central to our approach to tackling climate change. Our approach to tackling climate change emphasises the importance of ensuring that we promote social justice, tackle poverty, and seize the economic opportunities associated with a low-carbon transition. In addition to the 3 per cent target, we have also set target ranges for the minimum level of emission reduction that we would expect to see from each sector, and which we would hope to see exceeded over the period. For the public sector’s direct emissions from its buildings, a maximum emission level for 2020 has been set, to reflect the Assembly Government’s commitment for the public sector to lead by example in efforts to curb emissions.

Unlike emission reduction, there is no single quantitative measure for effective adaptation. We are not setting overall targets for adaptation; instead, we will develop specific performance indicators to measure progress in specific areas. The key areas where we will focus our action include a comprehensive approach to behaviour change, leading by example in the Assembly Government and wider public sector to consider climate change in all decision making, delivering increased energy efficiency, making low carbon transport a reality, and building the skills needed to ensure that Wales can make the most of opportunities offered by a low-carbon economy. We will also make the most of opportunities to cut emissions and adapt to climate change where our natural resources, land management pattern, and economic position allow. We will ensure that our approach to research and development, technology, innovation and skills helps Wales gain the maximum benefit from climate-change-related business and research. We will also create a framework to support effective adaptation that delivers for those most in need and those less able to adapt. Finally, we will ensure that land use and spatial planning promote sustainable development, and enable a move towards a low-carbon economy that takes account of future climate impacts.

Specific actions include: encouraging the installation of cost-effective energy efficiency measures in all households and adopting a whole-house approach; developing an area-based approach to domestic energy efficiency; developing sustainable travel centres and supporting smarter choices; promoting the infrastructure for electric and hydrogen vehicles; supporting research and development and skills and business development to ensure that Wales can benefit from the opportunities offered by a new green economy; improving the sharing of good practice across businesses; ensuring that resource use is minimised and that wastes are regarded as a resource for use; ensuring that the planning system enables low-carbon development; targeting agriculture and land-management schemes at reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and, creating additional woodland.

We will work with the UK Government to ensure that UK policies support our climate change objectives in Wales. Following the launch of the strategy, I attended the Climate Change Commission for Wales’s fifteenth meeting, and handed over the chair to Peter Davies, who was appointed as the new, independent chair of the commission over the summer. The meeting focused on securing agreements on the commission’s new role and work programme, following the appointment of the independent chair, updates from members of the commission on their activity, and a presentation from the Climate Group, as well as from the Centre for Alternative Technology on the latest Zero Carbon Britain report, 'A New Energy Strategy’. A full account of proceedings at the commission’s meeting will be covered in a separate written statement in the usual way. The climate change strategy has been developed with cross-sector and cross-party support through the Climate Change Commission for Wales. I hope that the importance of this agenda will continue to attract the broad consensus of support that it has received thus far, and that the Government maintains its commitment to providing annual progress reports to the National Assembly for Wales.