The Party of Wales has raised questions over the Welsh Government’s commitment to combatting climate change. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood challenged the First Minister on his government’s performance following instances of severe weather.
Despite the First Minister conceding that extreme weather events will increase in future as a result of climate change, widespread concerns have been raised that the Welsh Government is lacking a coherent strategy for long term climate change solutions.
Party of Wales leader Leanne Wood highlighted that the Welsh Government’s 2010 target for renewable energy production has been missed by a staggering 60%.
Over recent weeks, the Welsh Government has also come under criticism from the Assembly’s Environment and Sustainability Committee who branded the Welsh Government’s rollback on its emissions targets for new homes as “a step in the wrong direction.” In addition, WWF Cymru has raised concerns that the Welsh Government “lacks clear plans for meeting our 2020 targets of a 40% emissions cut.”
Party of Wales leader Leanne Wood said:
“It’s clear that the Labour minority Welsh government has rolled back on its climate change commitments. Under the One Wales coalition government, Plaid Cymru insisted on the introduction of ambitious green house gas emissions reductions targets. We also oversaw the setting up of the Climate Change Commission, one role of which was to develop policies for climate change adaptation, so that people in communities were prepared for and resilient to extreme weather events.
“Since the end of the One Wales government, focus and emphasis on climate related work has taken a backseat.
Now, people across Wales who have had their homes, businesses and properties damaged by flood or storm damage want to know what has been done in terms of prevention and what is being done to reduce risk in future.
“On numerous fronts, the government has scaled back on its commitments. New houses were meant to be 40% more efficient, however the government has only delivered an 8% improvement in efficiency. Where the Welsh Government said it would produce more renewable energy it failed even to reach half of the target. These concerns are not just from Plaid Cymru, they come from a from a number of quarters.
“Big problems need big solutions.
“The weather damage that has caused chaos across the country must be tackled urgently, but the government must also keep an eye on the long term climate change picture. Plaid Cymru has far reaching proposals to wean ourselves off fossil fuel based energy, for example, so that Wales is self-sufficient in renewable electricity by 2035.
“Plaid Cymru wants to see a Welsh Government able to meet the needs of the people of Wales, by using our natural resources in a way which benefits people in Wales. For this to begin to happen, we need to see energy powers devolved to Wales so that we can build an energy future that best suits Welsh needs and interests.”
