Climate change mitigation

During this Senedd term the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee (“the Committee”) will continually scrutinise the Welsh Government on progress towards carbon emissions reduction.

Background:

Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales published in 2019, was the Welsh Government’s first low carbon delivery plan which set out how Wales aimed to meet its first carbon budget (2016-2020). In December 2022, the Welsh Government published its final statement for the first carbon budget (2016-20) and the 2020 interim emissions target.

Net Zero Wales, Carbon Budget 2 (2021-2025) published in October 2021, is the Welsh Government’s second plan which focuses on their second carbon budget (2021–2025). In November 2021, the Committee carried out initial work on Net Zero Wales. Further information on this early work, including views from stakeholders can be found on the Committee’s web page, Net Zero Wales - initial consideration.

Further background information about the Committee’s scrutiny of progress towards delivery of climate change commitments is available on the web page, Progress towards delivery of climate change commitments.

Evidence gathering

On 9 February 2023, the Committee held an evidence session with the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) on the final statement for the first carbon budget and the 2020 target, and on progress towards delivery of Net Zero Wales.

The Committee held a scrutiny session with the Minister for Climate Change on Wednesday 1 March. Ahead of the meeting, the Minister provided a paper, Scrutiny of progress towards delivery of climate change commitments (PDF 245KB). The paper provides information on the Final Statement for the First Carbon Budget and 2020 Interim Target, and, an update on progress towards the delivery of Net Zero Wales Carbon 2 (2021-25).