Rising to the challenge – Wales’ pathway to net zero: A conversation with Chris Stark and Derek Walker
The IWA are delighted to bring you a discussion between Chris Stark, CEO of the UK Climate Change Committee (UKCCC) and Wales’ Future Generations’ Commissioner, Derek Walker. In this conversation we will touch on where Wales stands on its net zero journey, how we compare to other nations, and how we can accelerate our transition and adaptation to the climate emergency.
Wales has been seen to be at the forefront of policy development on climate, not least in the establishment of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act itself, but also in the establishment of new air quality legislation and ambitious (if politically contentious) transport policies.
Yet, we are seeing varying degrees of success in policy implementation and delivery. In Wales we have been good at diagnosing the problems and challenges we face when it comes to net zero. We are also good at setting ambitious targets and articulating the case for change. But Team Wales is far less effective at delivering on these pledges. In this critical decade for climate action on a national and global scale, Wales has no choice but to deliver on these commitments.
Established by the Climate Change Act (2008), the UKCCC has responsibility for advising the UK and its nations’ pathways to net zero by 2050. In its 2023 report on climate mitigation in Wales, the UKCCC stated that Wales is not on track to meet its emissions reduction targets for the second half of this decade and beyond. On adapting to climate change, Wales doesn’t fare any better, with the UKCCC Wales report on this subject highlighting insufficient progress and limited monitoring.
Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner has recently launched his strategy for his seven year term, Cymru Can. The strategy aims to enhance the implementation of the Act whilst focussing on key areas such as culture, health and wellbeing, climate and nature, and the wellbeing economy.
At this event we will be discussing:
- Climate governance arrangements – are they working?
- Emissions pathways and carbon budgeting
- Delivering transformative change within devolved structures
- Addressing the delivery gap between rhetoric and delivery on the net zero mission
- Raising ambitions and delivery to tackle the existential challenge ahead
- The role of climate leadership.
Join us for this critically important discussion between two of the key players in informing and influencing Wales’ pathway to net zero.
Please pre-submit a question for Derek and Chris by emailing us at [email protected].
Picture credit: Polly Thomas
