Jane Davidson, Welsh Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing has outlined the Welsh Assembly Government's targets to fight Climate Change at a conference in Cardiff. Speaking at the Centre for Research in the Built Environment at the Welsh School of Architecture's Climate Change: Global & Local Challenges lecture at Cardiff University, Ms Davidson gave a key note speech about the latest targets that have been set.
She said, "We need to harness the potential of renewable energy and look seriously at ways to make Wales self-sufficient in low carbon electricity within 20 years. We published the Micro Generation Action Plan for Wales in March and want to encourage individuals, communities and business to take part.
We have also set out our aim for all new buildings in Wales to be zero carbon by 2011.
Waste is another key area and at the moment local authorities are well on the way to achieving the current 40% recycling target by 2010. But we want to see much more and local authorities are considering new targets of 70% by 2025.
Last month I announced the setting up of the Climate Change Commission for Wales which will meet before the end of this year. It is one of the first Commissions of its kind in the world. The Commission’s job is to help me develop new policies and create broad agreement on a way forward.
It will be important in helping meet the challenge of climate change by gathering information and ideas and helping to build agreement with people across all political, public sector, business and voluntary areas."
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, also spoke at the event and challenged everyone to make their contribution towards fighting climate change.
Ms Davidson said, "The Assembly Government is committed to working in partnership with others to find solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
I’m delighted to welcome Hilary Benn to Wales because Climate Change is an issue we must tackle together. It is important that the Welsh Assembly Government and Government in Westminster stand shoulder to shoulder in tackling this important issue."
Mr Benn explained that Climate Change is a global problem but that it needs action at every level – local, regional, national and international and that every government, business and individual must play their part.
He said, "We need to think ‘sustainably’ about everything. From the products we make, to the holidays we take. From the cars we drive, to the energy we consume.
The EU level Spring Council in March reached an historic agreement to commit to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
He said that if 17 million of us replaced 5 light bulbs in our home with energy saving bulbs, we’d be 1% closer to meeting the target and that if 4.5 million people installed cavity wall insulation, we would be another 1% of the way to our 2050 target."
She said, "We need to harness the potential of renewable energy and look seriously at ways to make Wales self-sufficient in low carbon electricity within 20 years. We published the Micro Generation Action Plan for Wales in March and want to encourage individuals, communities and business to take part.
We have also set out our aim for all new buildings in Wales to be zero carbon by 2011.
Waste is another key area and at the moment local authorities are well on the way to achieving the current 40% recycling target by 2010. But we want to see much more and local authorities are considering new targets of 70% by 2025.
Last month I announced the setting up of the Climate Change Commission for Wales which will meet before the end of this year. It is one of the first Commissions of its kind in the world. The Commission’s job is to help me develop new policies and create broad agreement on a way forward.
It will be important in helping meet the challenge of climate change by gathering information and ideas and helping to build agreement with people across all political, public sector, business and voluntary areas."
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, also spoke at the event and challenged everyone to make their contribution towards fighting climate change.
Ms Davidson said, "The Assembly Government is committed to working in partnership with others to find solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
I’m delighted to welcome Hilary Benn to Wales because Climate Change is an issue we must tackle together. It is important that the Welsh Assembly Government and Government in Westminster stand shoulder to shoulder in tackling this important issue."
Mr Benn explained that Climate Change is a global problem but that it needs action at every level – local, regional, national and international and that every government, business and individual must play their part.
He said, "We need to think ‘sustainably’ about everything. From the products we make, to the holidays we take. From the cars we drive, to the energy we consume.
The EU level Spring Council in March reached an historic agreement to commit to a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
He said that if 17 million of us replaced 5 light bulbs in our home with energy saving bulbs, we’d be 1% closer to meeting the target and that if 4.5 million people installed cavity wall insulation, we would be another 1% of the way to our 2050 target."
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