Plaid Cymru has accused the Labour Welsh Government of hypocrisy on climate change and demanded a change of course on key climate change policies.
Responding to a statement issued today by the new Minister responsible for Natural Resouces, Plaid’s Shadow Minister Llyr Gruffydd AM said:
“How can a Labour Minister tell us that he is determined to demonstrate leadership in climate change delivery when the actions of his Government clearly shows that is not the case. It is absolute hypocrisy.
“Whilst a Plaid Cymru government would deliver stronger policies on carbon emissions and energy efficiency, the actions of the Labour Government in recent weeks clearly demonstrates that the Minister’s statement is nothing but empty words.
“The First Minister’s legislative programme has ignored climate change to date. Even the most recent Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill – a law created to specifically make sustainable development a central organising principle of the public sector in Wales – makes no reference whatsoever to climate change. The Government’s own conversation with the public prior to the introduction of the Bill revealed that climate change is the biggest single concern for future generations in Wales. Yet despite this, Plaid Cymru’s calls to enshrine in legislation clear targets for cutting carbon emissions was ignored.
“We also saw this week that Labour’s hugely controversial decision to build a new stretch of M4 demonstrates they’re not serious about climate change. Choosing an expensive new six-lane motorway instead of a cheaper and less environmentally damaging alternative as preferred by Plaid will lead to increased traffic levels and more carbon emissions.
“Other decisions such as severely watering down proposals for better energy efficiency in new houses is proof that Carwyn Jones and his Government are not taking climate change seriously enough. Warm words by the new Natural Resources Minister are clearly nothing but empty rhetoric unless he demonstrates through his actions that things will change.”
