June 2023
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This conference assessed the future for climate policy in Wales, with discussion on plans for a ‘just transition’ as the Welsh Government consults on the pathway to net zero.
It took place ahead of the next National Adaptation Plan, recently brought forward to 2024, and in the context of:
- the legal commitment from Welsh Government to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and the push to reach the target sooner
- commitments to a just transition from the Welsh Government, as it consults on steps to net zero ahead of the likely development of a Just Transition Framework for Wales this year
- the Wales Climate Change Engagement Plan
- the recent United Nations climate conference, COP27
- the Innovation strategy for Wales, which lays out a set of missions including the strengthening of climate resilience
It was an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to examine progress towards meeting the ambition of net zero by 2050 across key energy-intensive sectors, including transport, heat, energy and agriculture, as well as to consider variation across different areas of society.
Delegates assessed priorities for engaging with the Welsh public in the lead up to the next National Climate Change Adaptation Plan, due to be published next year, as well as how innovation can be leveraged to meet climate goals and move towards a greener Wales.
We are pleased to have been able to include keynote sessions with Jonathan Oates, Acting Deputy Director for Climate Change and Fuel Poverty, Welsh Government; Claire Pillman, Chief Executive, Natural Resources Wales; James Tarlton, Senior Analyst, Carbon Budgets, Climate Change Committee; Lyn Cadwallader, Chief Executive, One Voice Wales; and Stanley Townsend, Secretary, Wales Net Zero 2035 Challenge Group.
Overall, the agenda included discussion on:
- Welsh Government’s net zero ambitions:
- progress towards key themes emerging from COP27
- achieving a ‘just transition’ in Wales - priorities for citizens, industry and communities - the potential shape of the Welsh Government’s Just Transition Framework
- policy priorities for developing the new National Climate Change Adaptation Plan
- energy-intensive sectors: further reducing emissions across sectors including homes, transport, energy, agriculture and land use
- Team Wales’ approach: opportunities for stakeholders to collaborate across the public and private sector - encouraging effective public engagement and action on climate change
- nature-based solutions: the role of the natural environment - protecting biodiversity - driving investment into nature-based solutions - embedding nature recovery into decision-making
- wider economic and market challenges: considering social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts of the net zero transition - how current ambitions can be met in the current economic climate
The conference was an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who attended from the Welsh Government; Ofwat; CCC; CMA; DAERA, NI; Defra; DBT; Department for the Economy, NI; DfT; Department of Finance, NI; HSE; and ONS.
