A series of transformative reports, spearheaded by Wales former environment minister Jane Davidson, have been released – outlining ambitious pathways to achieve net zero and combat the climate crisis in Wales.
Wales: tackling the climate crisis and working to net zero
Commissioned by the leaders of the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru through the 2021 Cooperation Agreement, the report aims to renew and rapidly accelerate Wales’s approach to achieving net zero. The proposals articulate both mechanisms for accelerating emissions reduction towards net zero by 2035 and mechanisms for ensuring wider socio-economic, environmental and cultural benefits and a just transition.
The reports provide independent, expert-led advice for transforming Wales’s economy. Covering key sectors – Education, Food, Energy, Buildings, and Transport – the reports delve into brave and bold strategies that can propel Wales towards a prosperous and resilient future, while also identifying crucial cross-cutting enablers necessary for achieving this ambition.
Over the past 21 months, a dedicated volunteer team of experts from academia, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector has collaborated to develop comprehensive 10 year pathways of action. This work demonstrates the art of the possible, providing a clear, actionable strategy for Wales to navigate our changing climate.
The group’s headline statements are:
- Achieving net zero by 2035 will require a significant step change in ambition from the Welsh Government, support from the UK Government, and a greater societal mandate for change.
- Huge benefits to the Welsh public are possible through a net zero transition, including improved public health, reduced pressure on our NHS, greater energy security, more resilient food supply and low-carbon job generation.
- Urgent action is needed now to ensure Wales captures the value and benefits of a net zero transition over the long-term, whilst also limiting exposure to climate related risks and greater costs in dealing with the consequences of inaction.
- Only a planned transition can be a just transition to net zero through proactive action to prepare Wales over the longer term and mitigate transition risks before more severe disruptions occur in the future.
10-year pathways
Jane Davidson, Net Zero Challenge Group chair, said:
The Senedd was the first national parliament in the world to declare a climate emergency in 2019, pledging to act to reduce the negative impacts of climate change on the Welsh population.
By proposing 10 year pathways to deliver outcomes to keep the population of Wales safer, our work has focused particularly on delivering a nature positive and just transition as required by the unique Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.
Our ambition has been to describe pathways that will deliver benefits to the Welsh people as well as quantifiable emission reductions. While this work is specific to Wales, quantifiable emission reductions are essential for us all if we are to minimise harm to current and future generations. We hope that our work, published before New York Climate Week and this year’s COP29 in Azerbaijan, will help Wales and other countries of all sizes to consider focusing on real actions as part of real pathways to deliver.
Wales sees genuine pragmatism
Stan Townsend, group secretary, said:
This work offers genuine pragmatism in dealing with challenge of climate change, for Wales and the world. Unlike the so called ‘pragmatism’ that ignores problems, this work acknowledges and confronts them head-on.
Through exploring how to reach net zero earlier than 2050, we’ve highlighted how Wales could accelerate action to address the causes of climate change, while demonstrating that this acceleration shouldn’t wait any longer if we are to seize the benefits, minimise the costs and ensure a just transition.
Importantly, for us, we’ve worked towards a net-zero transition that also addresses related challenges such as public health, inequality, economic stability and the nature crisis. This is what the people of Wales deserve.
As the great-grandson of a coal miner from the South Wales valleys, I don’t want to see a history of unjust transitions repeat itself. A renewed approach to climate change and sustainable development is needed to avoid this and that is what our work offers.
Featured image via the Canary
