Commenting on the publication today of Wales’ most recent greenhouse gas emissions figures, WWF Cymru Policy and Advocacy Officer Jessica McQuade said: “WWF Cymru is pleased that Welsh greenhouse gas emissions have reduced between 2013 and 2014, and we’re back on the right path to tackling climate change. However, we need to act faster if we are to avoid the 2°c of warming in our climate that scientists agree would be catastrophic.
“We now have an Environment Act in Wales that gives us a system to reduce our emissions, but targets under the Act won’t be set until the end of 2018, which isn’t soon enough. This means we have no clear ambition or commitment from the new Welsh Government in the meantime. Science shows, and countries including the UK agreed at the UN climate conference in Paris last December, that we need to do more, faster, now.
“That’s why we’re calling on this new Welsh Government to recommit itself to reducing total emissions by 40% by 2020.
“If we’re going to achieve that goal, the Government must get to work to put substantial emissions reduction programmes in place. Our research shows that things like large-scale energy efficiency measures for Welsh homes would not only reduce emissions, but also help create jobs and tackle fuel poverty.
“We welcome the fact that past governments’ programmes in this area are having a positive effect but the evidence shows they need to be considerably up-scaled. If the new Welsh Government is serious about tackling climate change, we expect to see such measures in its forthcoming Programme for Government.”
