Wales Commits to Net Zero by 2050

Welsh Government has today set out its legal commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050  (Cymraeg) following evidence from the Climate Change Committee (CCC), that revealed net zero emissions, previously thought unachievable and unaffordable, was now possible with ambitious policy.

The CCC had previously proposed that Wales should reduce its emissions by 95% by 2050, based on 1990 levels. This is less ambitious than the suggested overall UK target of net zero by the same date, due to the nation’s agricultural emissions.

The First Minister, Mark Drakeford, has also announced the creation of a National Forest for Wales, where a connected forest ecosystem will extend the length of the country.

Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:

We were the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency, but now we will use the new science to make our long-held ambition of a Net Zero Wales, a reality. While we have set our intention to achieve this by 2050 in law today, we will continue to do all we can to get there sooner. The global climate outlook is grave, and we will not shy away from stopping harmful emissions being pumped into our atmosphere and heating our planet. Business as usual is not an option…