Montgomeryshire AM Mick Bates has criticised the Welsh Government Climate Change Strategy for lacking detail on data, delivery and accountability, as close inspection reveals that despite warm words and ambition, this long-awaited document is a let-down when it comes to real action to tackle climate change.
Commenting, Mr Bates said:
“On the surface, the Climate Change Strategy contains welcome targets, such as the aim to reduce carbon emissions by 3% per annum and the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2020 and it gives welcome recognition of the importance of taking action to tackle climate change. However, on closer inspection it is clear that the devil is in the detail, as the truth behind the targets is not quite what it seems when it comes to real action.
“Despite the One Wales commitment to achieve ‘annual carbon reduction-equivalent emissions reductions of 3% per year by 2011 in areas of devolved competence’, less than a third of this will be delivered by the Assembly Government, with credit for the remainder coming from UK and EU policies and action. This is not what was promised in the One Wales document.
“The delivery plan lays down estimates of how much carbon will be saved by the various Welsh Government policies in 2020, but there is no data or methodology on how these figures have been arrived at and where exactly the savings will be found. It is also unclear whether the anticipated carbon savings are yearly or rather are a target to work up to over the next decade, which could mean reductions of far less than 3% in the years leading to 2020.
“There is a lack of detail on which the Welsh Government can be held accountable to ensure good progress is made over the coming years. For example, there is no target for the number of homes to be retrofitted under the energy efficiency plans for carbon savings from the residential sector, simply an estimate of how much carbon these plans will save in 2020, so no way to scrutinise progress year on year.
“A responsible government would recognise that a higher level of detail and data, more transparency and accountability and greater efforts to monitor and produce more up to date emission figures is all essential if the 40% target is to become a reality and not simply a broken promise. Sadly, the Climate Change Strategy contains none of this and I am deeply disappointed that this long-awaited document is such a let-down.”
