A leader in a changing world? Welsh climate change policy

Elin Royles

Why Wales?

A leader in a changing world?

‘In Wales, we have the opportunity to lead amongst small nations and we plan to do so by taking prompt action to play our part in achieving the necessary emission reductions’ (House of Commons, 2008, Ev 186) Welsh Assembly Government Memorandum to the Westminster Environmental Audit Committee.

‘Wales is not economically hugely important region in Europe but they have this leadership on climate change’ (Interview, international perspective)

Climate Change Strategy

‘One Wales’ 2007: Annual 3% reduction in carbon emissions within areas of devolved competence from 2011; 40% reduction in Welsh emissions by 2020 (1990 basis)

Sectoral targets for emissions reduction and adaptation to climate change

Contribution to 3% target(approx.)

Transport 0.44%

Business 0.36%Residential Sector 0.57%

Agriculture and land use 0.20%

Waste sector 0.21%

Public sector 0.03%Renewables Obligation 0.30%

Broader sectoral contribution 0.90%

Contribution of Welsh policies to the 3%: 0.89%

Contribution of UK policies to the 3%: 1.21%

Broader sectoral contribution to the 3%: 0.91%

A number of key fiscal, taxation and legislative competences at UK and EU level

Vertical coordination with UK Government critical

Arbed

International Activity

Competences and renewable energy

• Planning policy innovation across UK in Wales (national zoning framework)

• ‘powers ….are clearly constitutive of the potential for action, and powers have wider effects on government credibility and in terms of legitimising resources’ but also need ‘disposition, capacity or will to deploy them in an effective manner for renewable energy’

(Cowell et al, 2013: 12)

Vertical relations with central government

DECC (Energy and Climate Change)

DEFRA (Environment)

DFID (International Development)

Joint working, co-funding from the devolved administrations, e.e.

UK Committee on Climate Change; UK Climate Impacts

Programme; UK Climate Change Risk Assessment

UK-level bodies related to climate change

• Mitigation-related bodies• Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Project Board• CRC Performance League Table Review Group • Climate Change Agreements Working Group• Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership • • Adaptation-related bodies• National Adaptation Programme Policy Advisory Group • UK Domestic Adaptation Programme Board • Adaptation Analyst Group • • European Union Emission Trading Scheme• EU ETS Project Board• EU ETS Aviation Project Board • EU ETS Small Emitters Working Group

‘Possibly areas of weaknesses would be you know are we quick enough and smart enough in supporting the implementation of measures in Wales that come from outside Wales?... Have we been quick enough? Probably not. We should be a bit smarter on that’ (Interview 35, October 2010).

• I'm always slightly questioning in my mind whether the politics of the situation: if the Green Deal was a Labour Government initiative in Westminster, whether we would have seen more enthusiasm for it from the administration in Cardiff. There is politics tied up in the relationship. (Interview 39, August 2012).

• Committee on Climate Change Wales Progress Report (January 2013):

‘The Welsh Government should set out its strategy for promoting the Green Deal and ensuring Wales continues to receive a commensurate share of funding from supplier programmes (i.e ECO)’‘There are signs that renewable power development is falling behind the rest of the UK’ (2013: 9)

Global leader? An international exemplar?

Ambitious targets and policy initiatives despite low autonomy Exemplar: multi-level climate change, incorporate UK and EU activity, Wales add value Political leadership keyVertical policy coordination challenges, policy gaps

IGR: party incongruence new challengesAre IGR challenges exacerbated in context of climate change policy?

• Potential of sub-state governments to respond to global issues

• International level implementation challenge: horizontal and vertical coordination

• Identifying approaches to dealing with horizontal and vertical coordination could potentially make Welsh Government international exemplar