‘Wales must show more environmental ambition’
Wales needs to show more ambition in its Environment Bill, amending it to increase targets for cutting emissions, campaigners will say at the UN climate conference in Paris.
The calls will be made by Members of Stop Climate Chaos Cymru, who will be in the French capital to speak about how Wales can play its part in global action to tackle climate change.
The group says higher targets need to be set in Wales to keep our commitment to a 40% emission reduction by 2020.
It will make its case in the second week of the COP 21 - the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties.
Chair Haf Elgar from Friends of the Earth Cymru will join head of WWF Cymru Anne Meikle, and Director of Size of Wales Claire Raisin to share lessons from Wales on how it is tackling climate change and delivering effective sustainable development governance.
During their talk at the Climate Generations area of the conference, they will outline how the Well-being of Future Generations Act is leading the world in enshrining the principles of sustainable development in law, and how other countries can follow Wales.
They will also speak about the Environment Bill, calling for it to be amended to match that ambition.
As well as reaching a fair, global deal as part of the UN climate talks, they will say that Wales needs its own fair climate deal.
Haf Elgar said: “It’s fantastic that we have an opportunity to go to Paris to speak with people and organisations from all over the world about what we in Wales are doing to tackle climate change and what we can learn from them.
“We may be a small country, but we’ve already shown through things like the Well-being of Future Generations Act that we can lead the world on this agenda.
“That’s why we’ll be calling for the Environment Bill to be amended so that it matches the ambition that we have for a Wales that truly can lead the global climate agenda.
“We’re pleased that the Bill sets out a legal framework for cutting our emissions, but it doesn’t go far enough.
“We need higher targets, to keep our commitment to a 40% emis- sion reduction by 2020, and better reporting and scrutiny of progress.
“At COP21, everyone is talking about how we need a fair, ambitious and global deal to tackle climate change and protect the most vulnerable people and habitats in the world. That’s as true here in Wales as anywhere.
“We need an Environment Bill that enables us to play our part in the global fight against climate change.”
Last month, hundreds of people joined Stop Climate Chaos Cymru in Cardiff for a mass bike ride and rally on Wales Climate Action Day at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay to show that Wales supports the call for a fair, global deal on climate action as well as robust action here in Wales so that we are playing our part in the worldwide movement.
As the conference began last week, David Cameron called for a robust deal that shows governments are serious about cutting carbon, in his statement.
The Prime Minister was joined by the Prince of Wales and leaders including US president Barack Obama for the first day of the negotiations, which aim to secure a global deal to stop “dangerous” climate change.