progress in embedding the 'one planet' aspiration in...

REPORT

2010

NETHERWOODSUSTAINABLE FUTURESSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT &CLIMATE CHANGE CONSULTANCY

REPORT FOR WWF CYMRU

PROGRESS INEMBEDDINGTHE 'ONE PLANET'ASPIRATION INWELSH GOVERNMENTDr. Alan NetherwoodNetherwood Sustainable FuturesJULY 2010

WWF Cymru One Planet Report:Layout 1 20/9/10 14:37 Page 2

WWF is a global organisation, which has witnessed the globalimpacts of humans on the natural environment and beenworking to combat this for nearly 50 years. We commissioned

the Living Planet Report to provide evidence for the increasing impacts of humanconsumption on habitats and species worldwide. We therefore warmly applaudedthe Welsh Assembly Government when they were at the forefront of Governmentsin adopting Ecological Footprint as an indicator of sustainability in Wales.

WWF Cymru were delighted when the WelshAssembly Government produced 'One WalesOne Planet' and set in place their aspirationfor the people in Wales ‘ to live within their fairshare of the earth’s resources.’

When this is taken alongside the commitment toreduce Wales’ greenhouse gas emissions by 3%per annum (in areas of devolved competence)then you have a Government who appear to havea real understanding and commitment to limitingtheir negative impacts globally and being anexemplar to others on what a good global citizen is.

As we near the end of the lifetime of thisGovernment, it was important for us to assesshow much progress had been made to turn thiscommitment into reality. It is important thatwe know what is working and where furtheraction is required in order to make progress onthese most challenging of targets.

WWF Cymru commissioned this report to ensurethose lessons are learned and any gaps addressedso we can truly make progress. That is importantfor the current Government, who had the courageto set us on this important path, but also for thenext Government in Wales, no matter whatpolitical make up it has.

All political parties are committed to reducingWales’ greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by2020. All will have a duty to promote sustainabledevelopment. WWF Cymru want to ensure thatany weaknesses in current approaches are obviousto all, in order that they may address these andtake us forward, with increased effectiveness inMay 2011.

FOREWORD


PROGRESS INEMBEDDINGTHE 'ONE PLANET'ASPIRATION INWELSH GOVERNMENT


We wish to thank all those involved in getting usthis far – Ministers, civil servants, other politiciansand the many committed individuals aroundWales who continue to see that short term andshort sighted measures will not bring about ahappy, healthy and prosperous Wales in the future.Long may they continue to make the ‘ hard choices’that require real courage and leadership.

This reports further substantiates the findings ofthe Welsh Audit Office about the patchy nature ofprogress in embedding sustainable development asthe central organising principle of Government.The report shows many areas where opportunitieshave been missed to achieve carbon and ecologicalfootprint reduction.

It is also clear that in most cases it is impossible totell whether Government action will be sufficient toachieve these reductions or not. This leads us, inWWF Cymru’s manifesto for the new Government,to focus on some areas of process as well as policy.

So WWF Cymru recommend that, to ensureconsistent commitment across Government,the Welsh Assembly Government should:

Commit to measuring what mattersby assessing and publishing the impactof all policies, programmes and publicexpenditure on greenhouse gas emissionsand ecological/carbon footprint.

The goal of footprint reduction should beshared with the rest of the public sector,through appropriate guidance, remits andperformance measurement frameworks.

Commit to achieving a One Planet Walesby 2050 and commit to stabilise Walesfootprint and reduce by an average of3% per annum by 2020.

Commit to reducing Wales greenhouse gasemissions by 40% by 2020 and set annualreduction targets to achieve this.

By taking these steps to drive forward sustainabledevelopment in Wales, the Welsh AssemblyGovernment will be showing true leadership anddemonstrating that sustainability is a conceptwhich ‘works’ in tough economic times as well asgood. Indeed, in tough times, preparing to livewithin environmental limits and ensuring thewell being of the most disadvantaged in society isnecessary, achievable and the prudent course.

Anne MeikleHead of WWF CymruSeptember 2010.

In future times of stringent public expenditure thenevery pound must work effectively for economic, socialand environmental outcomes. If this does not happen,then Wales will not be a low carbon, resource efficienteconomy, offering real well being to the people in Wales.


This report critically examines the appropriateness ofpolicy mechanisms being developed by Welsh Assembly

Government to deliver their 'One Wales: One Planet'agenda set out in the Government's One Wales Agreement and their SustainableDevelopment Scheme. This commits Wales to an ecological footprint of 1.88 globalhectares per person within a generation; to reduce carbon based energy use by80-90% over the same period; while at the same time moving towards zero waste;less car travel and more sustainable food within a fairer society.

A touchstone for this work is WWF Cymru'sreport from 2007, One Planet Wales, whichidentified some key short term priorities to 2011to deliver appropriate footprint reductions, whichwould provide a springboard for further policyactions over the medium term 2020-2050. Thereport suggested," it is vital that the large,slow, structural change issues start tobe addressed before 2011"

Key questions are - in 2010 how many of thesepriorities are set in place? Where are thestrengths, where are the weaknesses, and wheredoes this leave a new WAG administration afterthe elections in 2011? One Planet Wales alsosuggested ambitious structural changes togovernance, economic strategy, the public sectorand consumer behaviour to work towardsecological footprint reduction. How well placed isWales to achieve the required changes?

This report draws on documentary evidencefrom WAG strategies, policies, guidance andstatements from a range of relevant policy areas,as well as WAG commissioned reports fromStockholm Environment Institute on 2020ecological footprint scenarios and the TyndallCentre on carbon reduction. It also references therecent Wales Audit Office( 2010) report onsustainable development and business decisionmaking in WAG which suggested the governmentstill had some way to go to challenge business asusual approaches to policy making and to addresspolicy conflicts, as well as ensuring that theOne Planet aspiration is driven through financialsystems. It also suggested a more consistentapproach to ecological footprint reduction.

This report is structured to examine key policyareas which influence the reduction of Wales'ecological footprint: food, energy, transport;waste - but also covers issues such as land use,the economy, the public sector and agriculture,

which are critical to footprint reduction and theaspiration of One Planet Wales. To what extent dothe proposed policy interventions match thoserecommended by WWF Cymru, SEI and Tyndallfor carbon and footprint reduction?

Documentary evidence is important for a numberof reasons: firstly the documents provide theframeworks and key messages to engageWAG departments and others in a One Planetvision, secondly they identify the specific policymechanisms, whether legislative, financial orgovernance which help to drive forward the OnePlanet agenda, and thirdly, they provide a senseof how government and its partners will be heldto account on delivering Welsh AssemblyGovernment's One Planet aspirations.

Inevitably this report provides a snapshot of the'architecture' for WAG to deliver One PlanetWales in mid 2010. It attempts to examine howeffectively WAG are using their influence andpolicy levers to place Wales on a pathway toOne Planet living, not just in how they operatethemselves, but in how they engage with otherorganisations and use their influence to placeothers on that pathway. To what extent do theirpolicy mechanisms and targets identified by WAG(rather than the production of a strategy itself)set us on the right path? What opportunities haveWAG had to cement one planet thinking in theirstrategies, partnership work and communicationsince the One Wales agreement? Can we get anysense of whether the range of initiatives adds upto more than its ‘parts’? Is all of this laudablecumulative effort from WAG and others reallygoing to get us where we want to be in ageneration? This report intends to provideevidence and to open up this debate in Wales.

BACKGROUND


WAG in their Sustainable Development Scheme suggestthat ‘One Wales One Planet ‘will require "commitment andtenacity to deliver (this) over a 40 year timescale". WWF

Cymru suggests the need for a "multi-level programme - of policy and investment, visioningand capacity building - all of which should lead to measurable results on the ground".

KEY FINDINGS

It is clear from the evidence cited in this reporta lot of excellent work has gone on to developstatutory and financial mechanisms, policies andactions to develop footprint reduction, yet wedo not have a clear idea of how far this is takingus in the right direction, if at all. It should bestressed that many of the prerequisitesidentified by WWF in One Planet Wales forshort term footprint reduction by 2011 are inplace in the policy architecture, if they are beingand continue to be implemented effectively, andtheir cumulative impact is accounted for.

However, based on the documents reviewedas part of this report, there are some clearcauses of concern, where 'One Wales OnePlanet’ is not featuring in the policy discourse.Policy in these areas often has a strongsustainability message at the top of the policyhierarchy but these messages get dilutedfurther down the 'policy tree'. These include:

Economic Development where theEconomic Development Review hasfailed to place 'One Wales One Planet'and sustainable consumption as partof its vision and action plan.

Transport, where the policy hierarchy,including Regional Transport Plans,National Transport Plan and Wales TransportStrategy are failing to show how Transportfootprint reduction might be realised.

Public Sector, where there have beenmissed opportunities to drive home the'One Wales One Planet' agenda over recentdiscourse, including the Local GovernmentMeasure, guidance to Local Service Boardsand Health sector.

Housing, where the Housing Strategyshows little evidence of taking on the 'OneWales One Planet' vision or mechanismsfor Building/Housing footprint reduction.

The link between 'One Wales One Planet’and these policy areas are weak andrecommendations are made in the report toembed 'One Wales One Planet' into the work ofWelsh Assembly Government, partnerships,strategy and performance management, whichwould ensure greater transparency andaccountability on the impact of these initiativeson footprint reduction and carbon abatement.These recommendations are within the main textof this report and summarised in Appendix 1.

There are some notable areas of policy whereWelsh Assembly Government is makingexcellent progress in creating the conditionsfor footprint reduction, where the notion ofecological limits and sustainable consumptionare at the forefront of policy and mechanismsfor intervention and footprint reduction are ell developed. These are real causes ofoptimism and include:

Food and Agriculture - the FarmingStrategy provides an excellent exampleof forward thinking, well researched andevidenced policy, with sustainabledevelopment and the notion of One Planetliving firmly embedded in both its highlevel aims and its detail.

Energy - a wide range of policy interventionsfor carbon abatement and subsequentfootprint reduction are identified in A LowCarbon Revolution –The Welsh AssemblyGovernment Energy Policy Statement andthe draft Climate Change Strategy to belaunched in Autumn 2010.

Waste - where Welsh AssemblyGovernment‘s strategy Towards ZeroWaste: One Wales: One Planet 2009-2050includes footprint reduction targets fordifferent sectors, and a clear relationshipbetween past footprint analysis andpolicy interventions.


Despite these successes a key question is evidentfor all the policy areas examined i.e. "Is all ofthe admirable effort reviewed in this reportstemming footprint growth or even beginningto reduce it?” The short answer is we just don'tknow. Therefore many of the recommendationsin this report are about measurement,evidence and accountability.

Accounting for our actions in terms of carbonand footprint reduction, however statisticallydifficult, should be a pre-requisite of a nationaspiring to One Planet living. These measuresshould be embedded in the way we judgeperformance of our government(s) and publicservices. Welsh Assembly Government has avery difficult and immediate challenge to meettheir own supporting principle “all of ourpolicies will show how we will reduce Wales’Ecological Footprint to work towards ourvision". To this end, a number of similarrecommendations are made in each policy area:

a) that Welsh Assembly Government shouldmeasure - footprint reduction andcarbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms in any givenpolicy area in order to achieve an insight intoprogress towards 'One Wales One Planet'.

b) that 'One Wales One Planet', footprintreduction and carbon abatement should formpart of the performance managementframeworks for Welsh AssemblyGovernment, Assembly GovernmentSponsored Bodies, local government andWelsh Assembly Government - fundedinitiatives in different policy areas.

c) Welsh Assembly Government reportingshould, in addition to highlighting goodpractice, comment on the cumulativeimpact of initiatives, and the scale of theintervention that is still required tomeet the 'One Wales One Planet' aspiration.

d) that 'One Wales One Planet’ should beembedded in high level strategy andpartnerships for each policy area.

Two further recommendations are made tohelp align 'One Wales One Planet' and financialmechanisms in Wales to achieve greateraccountability for the role of the public purse inprogressing the 'One Wales One Planet’ aspiration:

Welsh Assembly Government and the publicsector should, as part of their procurementpowers, demonstrate how effectively the'Welsh Pound' and the Euro (viaWEFO and EU Structural Funding)are delivering on footprint andcarbon reduction and publish an annualaccount alongside financial reportingrequirements. (Recommendation 15)

WAG should explore, with the ClimateChange Commission, the potential for asystem of national carbon accountingto sit alongside financial reportingsystems and form a central part of theWales performance managementframework. This would include anassessment of the effectiveness of theCarbon Reduction Commitment.(Recommendation16)

Welsh Assembly Government‘s own SustainableDevelopment Scheme target is for footprintstabilisation by 2020 and then reductionthereafter. 2020 is now less than ten years away.Many of the key policy documents hardly havefootprint reduction on the agenda, let alone amethod of analysing where the biggestinvestments and efforts should be made toreduce the footprint. These policies leave longlegacies in terms of infrastructural investments,therefore, embedding 'One Wales One Planet’into the proposed Wales StrategicInfrastructure Plan is essential. Time isshort and a 'tenacious' effort will be required tore-focus policy towards 'One Wales One Planet’in the coming decade.


Key questions are raised by this report regardingthe governance approach to 'One Wales OnePlanet’ and ensuring sustainable development isadopted as a central organising principle;

Why is 'One Wales One Planet’ so embeddedin the Farming Strategy but absent from theEconomic Development Review, HousingStrategy and Transport planning?

To what extent have ministerial leadershipand the type of engagement and messagingas part of consultation influenced howeffectively 'One Wales One Planet’ hasbeen embedded in policy?

How much do 'strings' attached to availablefinancial mechanisms influence theadoption of footprint reduction and carbonabatement interventions and measures?(e.g. EU funding for Agriculture).

The future role of mandatory targets forareas of footprint reduction - (e.g. wastetargets have driven partnership work andimplementation).

To what extent does the messaging andpolicy of 'One Wales One Planet' agendahelp to reduce vulnerability to future risksfor Wales e.g. food security, resourcescarcity, energy security.

Welsh Assembly Government‘s SD Schemedoes not provide a plan for One Planet living inWales. A plan - an overall sense of progress, orlack of it, is desperately required to provide anoverview of where our efforts are bestconcentrated to reduce the footprint. One Planetliving will not be pursued by default throughexisting policy mechanisms - something needsto drive the concept through policy silos. Thereis a danger 'One Wales One Planet’ will get lostin the 'noise' of funding cuts and entrenchmentin different areas of high footprint impact. Thereport therefore recommends the following:

A One Wales: One Planet Routemap isdeveloped by Welsh Assembly Government,Climate Change Commission and others topromote the concept from an aspiration toan imperative for government functionsand partnerships, with clear targets andmeasurement. This will aid reporting, scrutinyand accountability. (Recommendation 20)

Current 'scrutiny' arrangements for the Scheme ,and presumably therefore Welsh AssemblyGovernment 's approach to the One Planetaspiration are dealt with within Welsh AssemblyGovernment , within the National Assembly'sSustainability Committee, via SustainableDevelopment Commission's input into the AnnualReview of the Scheme and in terms of emissionsreduction, via the Climate Change Commission.Given the weaknesses in ‘accounting’ and'accountability' highlighted in this report, anddespite the development of appropriate indicators,including the footprint, it is of real concern howprogress will be measured and reported.Therefore, the following recommendation is made:

A method of regular scrutiny and reportingis devised which critically examines how theOne Wales: One Planet Routemap is beingdelivered or ignored by government functionsand partnerships, involving Wales Audit Officeand other relevant bodies in Wales.(Recommendation 21)

Welsh Assembly Government should becongratulated in setting sustainable developmentas the key organising principle of government viathe Sustainable Development Scheme, developinga mechanism for 'sign up' of partners via theCharter and for being so robust in its broad targetsetting for footprint reduction "one planet livingwithin a generation". However at present thereis no evidence that the cumulative effortadds up to what is required. This reportsupports Wales Audit Office (2010) findings thatWelsh Assembly Government need to develop aconsistent approach to ecological footprintreduction, involving partnerships in all policyareas, until this is done, and a consistent measureis applied to the effectiveness of policy, all we haveis a diverse set of policies, that we hope arebroadly sending us on a more sustainable path.

What is clear from this report is that Welshgovernment has a wealth of tools at its disposal toinfluence 'Team Wales' in the right direction towardsa One Planet Wales, and to exert its influencebeyond Wales borders. This report highlights thatwe need measures, strategy and governancearrangements to judge whether these tools are beingused effectively enough, soon enough.

Dr. Alan NetherwoodNetherwood Sustainable FuturesJuly 2010


This draws on the experience of Dr. AlanNetherwood, who has worked in thesustainable development field in Wales for18 years for local government (Cardiff Council),Cardiff University, Environment Agency Walesand voluntary bodies. Netherwood SustainableFutures operates throughout the UK. Clientsfrom 2007-10 have included:

Welsh Local Government Association– Sustainable Development and ClimateChange support as part of WLGASustainable Development Framework.3 years of support on sustainability andclimate change projects engaging localauthorities AND National Parks in Wales.

Welsh Assembly Government –co-authored Sustainable DevelopmentEffectiveness Review with CardiffUniversity and Richard Pitts Associates.

Sustainable DevelopmentCommission, Cynnal Cymru andWWF Cymru have received policysupport on climate change, carbon reduction,sustainability and spatial planning.

West Midlands Local GovernmentNetwork climate adaptation and riskmanagement.

BBC Cymru Wales – research andadvice on climate change programming aspart of their work on climate change andtheir green season in 2009.

Independent of the WLGA contract,Swansea Council – on asset managementplanning and sustainability and GwyneddCouncil on climate change and scrutiny.

KEY REFERENCES:One Planet Wales: Transforming Wales fora prosperous future within our fair shareof resources (2007) WWF Cymru

One Wales: One Planet: The SustainableDevelopment Scheme (2009) WAG

Towards a 2°C future:emission reductionscenarios for Wales: A research reportby The Tyndall Centre, University ofManchester (2009)

One Wales: One Planet: The SustainableDevelopment Annual Report 2008-09(2010) WAG

Wales Audit Office: Sustainable DecisionMaking in Welsh Assembly GovernmentWales Audit Office (2010)

Climate Change Strategy: High level PolicyStatement Consultation WAG (2010)

Established in 2007, Netherwood SustainableFutures is a Wales based consultancy which offersgovernment, the public, private and non-governmentsectors high quality consultancy and research in thefields of sustainable development policy and practiceand climate change.

NETHERWOODSUSTAINABLE

FUTURES


NETHERWOODSUSTAINABLE FUTURESSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT &CLIMATE CHANGE CONSULTANCY


PROGRESS INEMBEDDINGTHE 'ONE PLANET'ASPIRATION INWELSH GOVERNMENTDr. Alan NetherwoodNetherwood Sustainable FuturesJULY 2010


ONE PLANETFOOD ANDAGRICULTURE

04 ONE PLANETBUILDINGS

07 ONE PLANETTRANSPORT

10 ONE PLANETECONOMYAND BUSINESS

14 ONE PLANETPUBLIC SERVICES

18 ONE PLANETENERGY

21 ONE PLANETRESOURCES

24 ONE PLANETGOVERNANCE

26 APPENDIXREPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

CONTENTS


WWF (2007) suggest that food and drink makes up25% of Wales' ecological Footprint , and Tyndall(2009) suggest that 14% of Wales' emissions comefrom the agricultural sector . Clearly, to aspire toOne Planet living - the food footprint (consumption)and Agricultural and land use emissions (production)need to be tackled in unison to achieve a moresustainable future in Wales. WAG's aim from theSustainable Development Scheme is to stabilise the

ecological footprint of Food and Drink by 2020 and then reduce. Table 1 shows the'asks' from the work of WWF, SEI and Tyndall and the WAG policy mechanismsreferenced from a range of documents including the Farming Strategy, LocalSourcing Action Plan, Rural Development Plan and others.

ONE PLANETFOOD AND

AGRICULTURE

On the evidence of these documents, WAG hasdeveloped the policy mechanisms to achievemost of the conditions suggested by WWF to bein place by 2011. Their activity through ValueWales on public sector procurement, Growingfor Growth on local sourcing and commitmentin the Local Sourcing Strategy for an indicatoron the proportion of local food uptake in thepublic sector are signs that this element offootprint reduction is central to their agenda.

A major emphasis on organic food within theFarming Strategy, Food & Tourism Strategy andTrue Taste Branding evidences that organic foodpromotion and local sourcing is also central totheir economic agenda for food and agriculture.All of the elements are also in place to provideenvironmental support to the food supply chainvia Farming Connect and efficiency supportfrom the Farm Advisory Supply Chain Efficiencywork within Annex 1 of the Rural DevelopmentPlan. Elements for potential 2020-2050footprint reduction are also in place, workaround Food Hubs to consider food distributionaround retail and catering, and a strong drivetowards low impact , organic and sustainablefarming within RDP Annex 2 schemes (OrganicFarming and Glastir) and the Farming Strategyprovide the structure to deliver on furtherfootprint reduction.

SEI suggested for a 10% reduction in the Foodfootprint by 2020, a 16.6% reduction on FoodWaste would be required. WAG’s Strategyconsultation towards Zero Waste (2009)whichcovers the time period 2009-2050 suggests anumber of targets around food diversion fromthe waste stream into composting and anaerobicdigestion, of 12% by 2012/13 and 16% by2024/25. Food waste seems to be central toWAG’s planning on waste management,although the food and waste sector has not beenidentified as a priority for a sectoral action plan.This should be rectified to ensure this policytarget is supported with action and funding.SEI's calls for supply chain efficiencies of 1.5%may be covered by the aforementioned FarmAdvisory supply chain work, and increase in theproportion of organic food by the financialsupport from the RDP Annex 2 work.

The Tyndall work on emissions fromagriculture and land use provide a sternerchallenge to the policy framework in Wales,including reductions in red meat productionand in beef herd numbers as well as white meatsubstitution for red meat to achieve a 3% annualemissions reduction. They go further for 6 and9% suggesting a 60% reduction in livestocknumbers.

01


Unsurprisingly, this scale of shift in productionis not reflected in the policy aims of the FarmingStrategy, the Rural Development Plan, andAction Plans of the Red Meat and Diaryindustries, although is acknowledged as apolicy issue in the Farming Strategy. This is anunpalatable political and strategic message, andWAG have chosen to emphasise the benefits ofincreased efficiencies, changes to husbandry andfarming methods and anaerobic digestion toreduce greenhouse gas emissions in their policyframeworks. There is a fine balancing act forWAG to manage, between pushing for moresustainable production methods one the onehand, and ensuring an economically viablecountryside on the other. Recent work from theLand Use and Climate Change group from theClimate Change Commission suggests a policyemphasis on rapid introduction of anaerobicdigestion and use of biogas as well as offset fromlarge scale tree planting (100,000) hectares toaddress the emissions in this sector.

It is an encouraging sign that one of theFarming Strategy indicators is the "Level ofGHG emissions for land based activity".So despite the difficult nature of the policyproblem of agricultural emissions, this seemsto be an area where WAG wish to be held toaccount and explore policy options.

This, on the face of it, is an extremely positiveframework for food footprint reduction andemissions reduction on the food productionside, provided that WAG are able to 'account' forthe effect of these schemes and initiatives on theoverall proportion of organic food consumptionvia the Farming Strategy, Rural DevelopmentPlan and others and the success of supply chainefficiencies and public sector procurement etc.To this end, it is suggested that WAG becomemore specific about the cumulative effect oftheir achievements, for example in the case ofsupply chain efficiencies. They should not justflag up individual examples of good practice, butreport on the take up of similar initiatives acrossthe board- to give us an idea of the scale ofchange that is happening versus the scale ofchange that needs to happen.

The Farming Strategy (2010) provides anexcellent example of forward thinking, wellresearched and evidenced policy, withsustainable development and the notion ofOne Planet living firmly embedded in both itshigh level aims and its detail. This certainlydelivers many of the elements of a forwardthinking One Planet Food Strategy suggestedby WWF in 2007. The challenge for WAG is toexpress the success of the initiatives in the FoodStrategy in 'footprinting' and emissionsreduction terms. Financial support for many ofthese initiatives via the RDP lasts until 2013.

There is an opportunity for WAG to reflect onthe RDP 2007 -13 and to consider how effectivelythese initiatives have reduced the food footprintand emissions from the food and agriculturesectors. This will help to target support andimportantly monitoring post 2013 to helpachieve these aims. There is also an opportunity tomake the connection between sustainable foodprocurement and production, with a lowerfootprint and healthy eating, identifying thehealth benefits of local and organic foodproduction and food consumption and promotionof healthy and sustainable food via retail andpublic sector food outlets.

RECOMMENDATION 1WAG should measure footprint reductionand carbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms in Food andAgriculture - in order to achieve an insight intoprogress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 2WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing the Food footprint,comment on the cumulative impact of initiatives,and the scale of the intervention that is stillrequired to meet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 3Greater emphasis should be placed on connectingthe health benefits of lower footprint diets in WAGpolicy and funded interventions in all sectors.

02


Table 1: Policy Mechanisms for Reduction of Food Footprint and Agricultural EmissionsWWF One Planet FoodIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Food Footprint

Local organic food

procurement for

public catering

Local Organic food

promotions

Environment –

business initiative in

the food processing

and retail sector.

One Planet Food

Strategy

Strategies for

2020-2050

Low impact farming

(15%)

Low impact imports

(10%)

EMS in food and drink

processing sector.(20%)

Distribution for retail

and catering. (10%)

SEI 2020 scenariosFor 10% reduction in

Food Footprint by 2020

16.6% reduction in

Food Waste

Annual food supply

chain energy

efficiencies of 1.5%

Increase in proportion of

organic food (undefined)

Tyndall 3%, 6%, 9% asksFor 3% annual

emissions reduction

Reduction in red

meat consumption

Increase in

productivity and

fertility in dairy herd

Organic sheep production

Reduction in beef

herd numbers

White meat substitution

for red meat

For 6 and 9%

emissions reduction

All of the above extended

Livestock numbers

reduced by 60 %

All sheep farming organic

WAG Policy Mechanisms andtargets (where available)

RDP Annex 1 Schemes:

Farming Connect; Farm

Advisory Supply Chain

Efficiency - EMS support

(from £89m budget)

RDP Annex 2 Schemes:

Tir Mynydd, Tir Cynnal,

Tir Gofal, Organic Farming

(from £594m budget).

Glastir (from 2011)

5,000ha p.a.up to 2031

True Taste Branding

Value Wales for the

public sector: Opening

Doors (SMEs),

sustainable procurement

framework and group;

Wales sourcing strategy

Growing for Growth

(local sourcing for

supermarkets)

Red Meat

Environmental Roadmap

Dairy Industry

Carbon footprint &

Environmental Plan

Key indicator:Level of

GHG emissions for land

based activity (Farming

Strategy)

Key indicator: Local food

uptake by the public

sector (Local Sourcing

Strategy)

Support on

Food Hubs research

(food services)

Direct Sales (Farm

to Public)

Community Food

Co-operatives

Regional seasonal

availability studies

RELEVANT FOOD AND AGRICULTURE POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWEDRural Development Plan 2007-13- WAG (2007)

Dairy Strategy - WAG (2008)

Red Meat Strategy - WAG( 2009)

Food Tourism Action Plan - WAG (2009)

Local Sourcing Action Plan- WAG ( 2009)

Towards Zero Waste: One Wales:One Planet: Consultation WAG(2009) - WAG

Farming Food and Countryside:Building a secure Future: a new strategyfor farming WAG (2010)

Food and Drink Strategy - WAG ( 2010)

Horticulture Action Plan - WAG (2010)

Climate Change Strategy (Draft)- WAG 2010

Climate Change Commission - Land UseWorking Paper (2010)

03


Clearly this policy area is of high relevance tothe One Planet agenda and has been affordedhigh priority in the One Wales agreement, withsubsequent commitments to: adopt the Codefor Sustainable Homes for new homes (level 3)under the influence or funded by WAG or theirsponsored bodies (AGSBs); BREEAM Excellentstandard for all new buildings funded by WAGand AGSBs, a 10% target for recycled andre-used materials in buildings promoted orsupported by WAG and sponsored bodies;and all new buildings to be zero carbon from2011.These are all clearly focused primarilyon new build. However, the recent EconomicDevelopment Review (see page 10 of this report)suggests that devolution of Building Regulationswill be by 2012 and subsequent policy on thezero carbon commitment will need to becarefully timed not to inhibit recovery in thebuilding sector. Does this represent a strongmessage to the building sector, a watering downof policy or a sensible precautionary approach?

The table shown below shows that WAG havealso concentrated efforts on the existing housingstock, working on devolved building regulations,support for home energy efficiency throughHEES and the commitment of Structural Fundsto innovative locational and partnership basedlow carbon work. Many of these initiatives doprovide targets of households to be supported inenergy efficiency and high levels of funding for

community based energy projects, howeverothers provide no targets and it is difficult toget a sense of scale of input and outcome (WalesHousing Quality Standards, Smart Meters, LowCarbon Hub). However, WAG’s work on theRenewable Energy Routemap, National EnergyEfficiency and Savings Plan, Fuel PovertyStrategy and the recent Energy Policy Statement‘A low carbon revolution' certainly indicate, thatOne Planet Building is high on the agenda of thisgovernment. To what extent does this meet theconditions and targets suggested by WWF, SEIand Tyndall Centre?

Many of the policy mechanisms identified byWWF that are required by 2011 to set us a OPWpath, seem to be in place. The Energy Strategyprovides both direction and funding to promotemicrogeneration, feed in tariffs, new zerocarbon homes and public buildings as well asthe lever of the Carbon Reduction Commitment topromote energy efficiency across sectors. Cleartargets and incentives for local government andother intervention via the Sustainable Buildingsand Waste Action Plan (2007) has enabledpartners to meet targets of 85% reuse ofconstruction waste by 2010 and ecological footprintreduction is at the centre of construction wastetargets in WAG’s Zero Waste Strategy (2009).

The Carbon Reduction Commitment, introducedin 2010 will theoretically result in not just caps tocarbon emissions across sectors but also trading

According to WWF's One Planet Wales, domesticbuilding accounts for 1.09gha/cap of Wales ecologicalfootprint, mostly through energy use, with some impactfrom construction activity and maintenance.Commercial buildings add another 0.38gha to thefootprint, accounting in total to 1.47gha or 28% ofWales ecological footprint. WAG’s aim from the

Sustainable Development Scheme is to stabilise housing’s ecological footprint by2020 and then reduce. Tyndall suggests residential emissions are responsible for25% of Wales' total greenhouse gas emissions. Table 2 shows the 'asks' from thework of WWF, SEI and Tyndall and the WAG policy mechanisms referenced from arange of documents including A Low Carbon Revolution –The Welsh AssemblyGovernment Energy Policy Statement - WAG (2010) and Housing StrategyImproving Lives and Communities- Homes in Wales - WAG (2010).

ONE PLANETBUILDINGS

04


in carbon permits from 2012. For the longer term'asks' of WWF, there is some work in ValueWales on sustainable procurement which mightlead to more local sourcing of materials, andguidance which might support this throughCreating Sustainable Places (2006) but no cleartargets. A greater emphasis is needed ondeveloping low impact lifetime costs of thesupply chain, although this is part of the work ofthe Low Carbon Hub and advisors network.

The Essex Review (2008) on affordable housingmade a strong connection with the low carbonagenda, however the Housing Strategy (2010)Improving the Lives of Communities - Homes inWales although referencing the need for energyefficiency to tackle fuel poverty and meet climatechange commitments, does not have the OnePlanet aspiration at its centre. Its tone is firmlybound up in the financial constraints facinggovernment and partners. With no Action Planfor implementation planned, or targets, thereseems to be a gap in an overarching vision ofsustainable building, and co-ordination ofactivity, despite the wealth of positive work inWales. There is also evidence of missedopportunities to flag up the One Planet work inrecent communiqués with Housing Associationsand the Private Rented Housing Sector. Wales isdoing some excellent work in this area of policyand the Housing Strategy should have done itjustice, and also provided clear consistentmessages to partner organisations in thebuilding and housing sector. Will all of thisactivity meet SEIs requirements for a 10%reduction in the residential footprint by 2020?

HEES activity of 3,000 homes per year andthe proposed activity of ARBED throughstructural funds may go some way to achievingSEIs retrofitting and energy reduction targets.However, this highlights the need for WAG tobecome more accountable and transparentaround the effect of this cumulative effort ontheir policy targets - we need to know whetherthis effort is adequate. Similarly, the rate ofhousing renewal is critical to both SEI's andTyndall's suggestions for intervention for a 10%reduction in the footprint and a 6% emissionsreduction. Clarity is needed on the HousingRenewal rate to inform this policy debate, anddiscussion of the costs and benefits of theTyndall suggestions for universal insulation,

cladding, solar thermal and heat pumps. This isespecially important as Tyndall suggest thatgreater cuts in residential emissions are requiredto make up shortfalls in other sectors (e.g.agriculture) if they are to meet their 3% annualemissions reduction target.

Again, this seems a very good basis to goforward on One Planet Buildings , much of thepolicy architecture is in place to reduce thefootprint and reduce emissions associated withbuilding. The problem is one of accountingfor the impact of all of these cumulativeinterventions on footprint reduction and carbonabatement and clear messaging to stakeholderorganisations from WAG. It is unclear whetherthe scale and speed of action will be sufficient.The Housing Strategy Programme Board, whowill oversee the implementation of the HousingStrategy, and help to oversee financialmechanisms such as the Social Housing Grantshould be tasked to drive the OPW agendathrough their work. This is not about flagshipprojects, and putting mechanisms in place toachieve positive action on low footprint building,it is about communicating how much this effortis likely to achieve and the scale and the rate ofchange required to meet OPW by 2050.

RECOMMENDATION 4WAG should measure - footprint reductionand carbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms on Housingand Building, in order to achieve an insightinto progress towards OWOP.

RECOMMENDATION 5WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing the Building footprint,comment on the cumulative impact ofinitiatives, and the scale of the intervention thatis still required to meet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 6The Housing Strategy Programme Board shoulddrive the OWOP aspiration through all of theirwork on strategy, policy and finance and accountfor their progress with clear targets.

05


Table 2: Policy mechanisms for Reduction of Building and Residential Footprint and EmissionsWWF One Planet BuildingIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Building Footprint

Construction industry

supply chain

Re-used materials

exchange scheme

Public sector low carbon

house building demo

Public buildings

programme and

internal carbon market

Rapid zero carbon

new homes

CSH compulsory

Programme for wind,

solar, biomass local

and regional

Microgeneration pilot

programme & utility

rebates

Strategies for

2020-2050

Local Materials (5%)

Sustainable

construction (10%)

Housing Energy

Efficiency (30%)

SEI 2020 scenariosFor 10% reduction

in by 2020

Code for Sustainable

Homes Compulsory

5% households retrofitted

per annum

60% pop. achieve 15%

reduction in energy use

by 2020

Housing Renewal –

20,000 houses by 2020


emissions reduction

Building Regulations

CSH & HEES expansion

Supplier Obligation

Smart Meter

Fuel Poverty

Microgeneration

Increased Occupancy

For 6% emissions

reduction

Increased rate of

Housing Renewal

Behavioural change

and 9% emissions

reduction

all of the above and

Universal Insulation

Cladding

Solar Thermal

20% Properties

Heat Pumps

WAG Policy Mechanisms andtargets (where available)

HEES support efficiency

measures in 3000

homes per year

Extensive SMART

meter installation (u)

Devolved Building

Regulations

Code for Sustainable

Homes Level 3 in all

new housing

Wales Housing Quality

Standards (u)

TAN 22 Sustainable

Building

ARBED (Structural

Funds) to support

measures in 10,000

homes

Heads of Valleys Low

Carbon region

Microgeneration

programme,

Energy efficiency retrofit

Microgeneration loans for

those able to pay

£15m for 22 Community

Energy projects

4 DECC Community led

renewables projects

Reduce planning barriers

to microgeneration

Advisors network and

info; CT, EST, EAW,

OFGEM

Low Carbon Hub

Carbon Reduction

Commitment

Creating Sustainable Places- WAG (2006)

The Essex Review: AffordableHousing (2008)

Improving Lives and Communities- Homes in Wales - WAG (2010)

The Private Rented Sector in WalesConsultation - WAG (2010)

Developing a modern regulatoryframework for Housing Associationsin Wales - Consultation - WAG (2010)

Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales:consultation on way forward to a leaner,greener and cleaner Wales - WAG (2008)

Consultation on a Bioenergy Plan- WAG (2009)

National Energy Efficiency and SavingsPlan Consultation - WAG (2009)

Sustainable Development Scheme- WAG 2009

Towards Zero Waste: One Wales:OnePlanet: Consultation WAG (2009) - WAG

Climate Change Strategy (Draft)- WAG 2010

Fuel Poverty Consultation - WAG (2010)

A Low Carbon Revolution – The WelshAssembly Government Energy PolicyStatement - WAG (2010)

Climate Change Strategy (2010)

RELEVANTHOUSING/ BUILDING POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWED

06


The immediate 'asks' of WWF to be in place by2011 were incentives for low impact vehicles,across the board public sector action planning,work on integrated travel for tourism and a longterm campaign strategy. WAG’s NationalTransport Plan (2010) at first glance providessome solutions, Smarter Choices providinginformation and options for more sustainabletravel, support for community transport,entitlement cards, safe routes to school supporttogether with a raft of funded initiativesincluding Sustainable Travel Centres, Park andRide, a Freight Consolidation Centre andinvestment in the rail network and a bus route,with further work on speed limits and planningin Wales to encourage sustainable travel,Incentives for low impact vehicles will be dealtwith at the UK level via Department ofTransport Strategy (2010). A problem withmuch of this activity is that the targets and scaleof activity is undefined.

Encouragingly, Wales Transport Strategy (2008)placed traffic growth, fossil fuel content of fuelsand fuel efficiency as key measures to monitorthe effectiveness of future plans. However,targets and numbers or measures of success arenot made clear in the National Transport Plan.Despite references to climate change and carbonreduction, there is a no clear connection madebetween Transport and the One Planet aspiration

of government. Delve a little deeper into the listof 99 different interventions provided, includingthose for sub regions within Wales, and theypaint a picture of 'business as usual', planningaround car use, with some rail options:

primarily road improvements and thesupport for the air service, with somerail improvement prioritised for NorthSouth link;

an emphasis on rail network improvementEast to West in the South;

primarily road and some rail improvementEast to West in the North

primarily road and one rail improvementEast to West in Mid Wales

This does not provide a clear sense of One PlanetLiving, and decarbonising transport as beingcentral to national policy for transport in Wales.Can the same be said for the Regional TransportPlans from local transport partnerships? Thesealso show a worrying absence of analysis on howeffective their listed interventions will be inreducing emissions and developing sustainablemodes of transport, TraCC ( Mid Wales) refersto the One Wales One Planet aspiration andreferences SEIs work towards the end of the

According to WWF (2007) The ecological footprintper capita for Transport is 0.88gha/cap, comprisingvehicles, infrastructure, fuels for car, bus and railtravel and equates to roughly 18% of Wales' footprint.WAG’s aim from the Sustainable DevelopmentScheme is to stabilise transport's ecological footprintby 2020 and then reduce.

The Tyndall Centre suggests that transport also accounts for 20% of Wales'greenhouse gas emissions (predominantly carbon dioxide). Despite decades of policyintervention (and policy document production) on behalf of central, national andregional governments, the transport footprint is growing and emissions from thissector are increasing. How will Wales achieve One Planet Transport when transporttrends suggest we are travelling in the wrong direction? Table 3 shows the 'asks'from the work of WWF, SEI and Tyndall and the WAG policy mechanismsreferenced from a range of documents including the Wales Transport Strategy(2008), National Transport Plan (2010) and Regional Transport Plans.

ONE PLANETTRANSPORT

07


document concluding "TraCC considers theprogramme in Mid-Wales to be moving in theright direction" providing no evidence to back upthis claim, suggesting that all of the efforts of theRTP will implicitly help. Taith (North Wales)simply states that all of the interventionssuggested in the SEI 2020 report will be workedon, with SEWTA (South Wales) committing tosignificantly reducing GHG emissions fromtransport (no targets provided and SWWIFT(South West Wales) suggesting that once carbontargets were developed by WAG for transport,SWWIFT would work towards these, althoughcarbon reduction is not one of their listed keymeasures. On the positive side, it is at this level,that public sector travel planning, awarenessraising around sustainable modes of transport,and integrated transport for tourism is beingworked on, satisfying some of WWF's conditions.But this hardly indicates that the One Planetaspiration has been transferred from the WelshGovernment to regional planning on transport.

On this evidence at a Wales level, the dramaticshifts suggested by WWF for 2020-50, SEI for2020 and Tyndall for 6 and 9% emissionsreduction are unlikely to be met in either theshort or medium term, in terms of the scale ofSustainable Travel centres required congestioncharging , rail investment, the scale of park & riderequired, electrification of the transport network,cessation of road building and inter-city busjourneys. Sustainable Travel Centres are a goodexample of where the scale of intervention(4 suggested by WAG) is minimal compared tothe number of areas required for 10% footprintreduction i.e. all urban areas over 10,000population. At a UK level the likelihood andeffect on national interventions on vehicleinfrastructure, supply chains, technology,vehicle efficiency in Wales are unclear.

What is clear is that in terms of footprintreduction and carbon abatement, theTransport policy 'landscape' in Wales continuesto be messy and piecemeal, with no cleardirection of travel or the cumulative effect ofproposed policy . Much worthy work is going onin Wales at both a national and regional level,but decarbonisation of transport can only occurif there is an honest appraisal of where we are

and where we need to be. Despite the wealth of'planning' going on out there, there is little evidencethat we will be shifting from the path we have beenfollowing for the past 50 years. One positive sign isthe work proposed in the Energy Strategy for a LowCarbon Economy Transport Network on M4corridor (hybrid, hydrogen, electric).

More than any other area, there needs to be aclarity over how a policy intervention is helpingor hindering the One Planet Wales agenda. Wecan easily get lost in the rhetoric of transportspeak, with no real sense of the scale of theproblem versus the solutions offered. Using thefootprint reduction and carbon abatementpotential as measures for Transport anopportunity to provide some clarity to a complexpolicy arena, which becomes even more complexif, as should be the case, aviation and shipping areincluded in the calculations. To this end thefollowing recommendations are made:

RECOMMENDATION 7WAG should measure footprint reduction andcarbon abatement, (including aviation andshipping) for all of their relevant strategies andpolicy mechanisms on Transport - in order toachieve an insight into progress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 8WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing Transport footprint,comment on the cumulative impact of initiatives,and the scale of the intervention that is stillrequired to meet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 9Regional Transport Partnerships should drivethe OWOP aspiration through all of their workon strategy, policy and finance and account fortheir progress with clear targets. This should bea requirement of and for Wales TransportStrategy and National Transport Plan andproposed Wales Strategic Infrastructure Plan.

08


Table 3: Policy mechanisms for Transport Footprint and EmissionsWWF One Planet TransportIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Transport Footprint

Low impact

vehicle incentive

pilot programme

Green Travel planning

for all public sector

Integrated travel for

Green Tourism.

Long term Campaign

Strategy

Strategies for

2020-2050

Vehicle infrastructure

and fuel supply chain;

(20%)

Park and ride;

congestion charging;

low impact vehicle

incentives; occupancy

schemes; fleet logistics

management.(30%)

Low transport impact

development and Green

Travel plans.(25%)

SEI 2020 scenariosFor 10% reduction in

Transport Footprint

by 2020

Sustainable Travel

Towns all urban areas

over 10,000

Occupancy rates of

cars, buses, trains,

30%,40%,50%

Efficiency improvements

of cars, buses and trains


emissions reduction

Technology (Hybrid,

efficiency)

Demand reduction

(eco-driving)

Biofuels

For 6 and 9%

emissions reduction

60 mph speed limit

Road building ceased

Electrification

Inter-city bus journeys

For 9%

emissions reduction

Reverse growth in

vehicle km (29% growth

– 27% reduction)

Rail Investment

Hydrogen technology

WAG Policy Mechanisms andtargets (where available)Targets:

Establish 3 Sustainable

Travel Centres £25m

over 2 years on (park

and ride infrastructure)

Park and Ride (a series

by 2014) £25m over 3

years for strategic park and

ride freight consolidation

centre by 2014

Meet Walking & Cycling

Action Plan targets

investment in stations,

rolling stock, stations

improvement and access

Plans for Traws

Cambrian bus by 2011

Review of Speed Limits

Climate resilience of

trunk roads

Mechanisms:

Smarter Choices support

(u)

Land Use Planning (u)

Safe Routes to School

support (u)

Disused Railway Tracks

research (u)

Community Transport

support (u)

Entitlement card (u)

From Energy

Statement

Low Carbon Economy

Transport Network on

M4 corridor (hybrid,

hydrogen, electric)

From UK Strategy

EU Co2 regulation

Vehicle Standards

Research

Lead low carbon cities

Infrastructure

RELEVANT TRANSPORT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWEDSmarter Choices: Wales - WAG (2007)

One Wales: Connecting the Nation - TheWales Transport Strategy - WAG (2008)

A Walking and Cycling Action Plan forWales 2009-13 - WAG (2008)

Progress in Partnership - the RegionalTransport Plan for South West Wales2010-15 SWWITCH (2009)

Mid Wales Regional Transport PlanTRACC (2009)

North Wales Regional Transport PlanTAITH (2009)

South East Wales Transport AllianceRegional Transport Plan SEWTA (2009)

National Transport Plan - WAG (2010)

The Carbon Reduction Strategy forTransport ‘Low Carbon Transport:A Greener Future’ - technology anddecarbonisation of transportby 2050 DoT

09


Table 5 sets out 'asks' from the work of WWFand Tyndall around the economy andsustainable consumption and the WAG policymechanisms referenced from a range ofdocuments including: Capturing the Potential:A Green Jobs Strategy for Wales (2009) theSustainable Development Scheme - WAG(2009), the Draft Climate Change Strategy -WAG (2010). To what extent do thesedocuments reflect the One Wales One Planetagenda within the current difficult financialconditions, and promote policy interventions forfootprint reduction and carbon abatement ?

The Green Jobs Strategy (2009) aims to greenexisting jobs, develop new green jobs andstrengthen the low carbon economy, andprovides an overview of the regulatorymechanisms, support services (via FS4B) andfunding which are available to meet its aims. Itplaces the Ecological Footprint at the centre ofits monitoring with a clear link between GrossValue Added and carbon emissions, resourceefficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. Thisprovides the framework for delivery of many ofthe suggestions of WWF in 2007, regardingsupply chain management, sustainable sourcing,retail partnerships and social enterprise,

although it is perhaps too early to judge orillustrate whether this strategy is beingeffective in these areas. In terms of the otherinterventions suggested by WWF, on GreenVisitor schemes, the Sustainable TourismFramework (2007) provides a clear emphasison reducing and monitoring the ecologicalfootprint of tourism, with indicators focusing onfootprint and emissions. In terms of educationcampaigns, pending Education for SustainableDevelopment and Global Citizenship ActionPlan should focus on methods of awarenessraising sustainable consumption, to add torecent curriculum changes to promote learningon sustainability in Welsh schools. Howeverthere are currently no obvious mechanisms forengaging the financial sector in the One Planetagenda in Wales beyond the recently launchedWAG Sustainable Development Charter or plansto develop a One Planet products strategy. Theinterventions suggested by WWF for 2020-50will to some extent be determined by the successof the Green Jobs Strategy and a the EconomicDevelopment Review in providing the conditionsfor business to explore more sustainableproduction methods, design, sourcing and lowcarbon social enterprise.

In 2007, in One Planet Wales, WWF outlined theeconomic challenge behind a One Planet agendaincluding: the progression of carbon trading in Wales;product impact charging; congestion charging; andbehaviour incentives for the public and organisations.They also outlined the critical role that governmentneeds to play in this agenda; acting as a steward, amanager of markets in environmental assets, as directpurchasers and clients, as operators of public servicesand as enablers/sponsors of market transformation.

WWF suggested that WAG would need to bring the One Planet agenda every kindof financial power available to the public sector. Since the economic downturn,the relationship between national government, the economy and its institutionshas evolved and transformed, a greater emphasis has been placed on reducing debt,maintaining frontline services, cutbacks for the public sector and sound mediumterm financial management. This perhaps makes it even more important for WAGto plan well around low carbon, energy and resource efficient economy, reducingfuture financial risks and liabilities to help to maintain the economy and publicservices. The One Wales One Planet aspiration is central to a sound and financiallysustainable economy in Wales.

ONE PLANETECONOMY

AND BUSINESS

10


It is difficult to see, given the existing policyframework, the conditions for the Tyndall 6and 9% scenarios for business being preparedin the medium term. The Energy Statementdoes not suggest the shift required for theelectrification of heating and industrialand manufacturing processes (and the gridrequirements of this). Some regulatorymechanisms are in place to reduce dirtyproduction, and the Energy Statement doessuggest WAG will consider Wales' carboncapture and storage (CCS) options, but thereis no evidence that the shifts in the serviceeconomy and low carbon goods are part of thepresent policy discourse.

Another important mechanism for regionalaction within Wales to promote a sustainableeconomy is the Wales Spatial Plan. The WalesSpatial Plan Update (2008) provides anoverview of regional thinking on plans overthe next 20 years for investment needed ineducation, transport, housing and the economy,providing a "canvas against which WAGinvestment (of EU Structural Funds) can beconsidered and agreed" It suggests thatsustainable development is central to thisplanning. These visions of 6 regions of Walesacknowledge common challenges includingbalancing the need for employment and serviceswith a need to reduce energy use, better resourcemanagement and importantly reducing theecological footprint of each region. NE andNW Wales see opportunities in enhancing theenvironmental goods and services sector,Pembrokeshire Haven suggest the opportunitiesfor local sourcing, green tourism and growingbiofuels, Swansea, the challenge of carbonfootprint and GHG reduction and the SouthEast Wales a low carbon region with reductionin GHG's and travel and energy footprints.However, the economic development modelpresented so far in this process is one ofcontinued 'business as usual' growth withoutecological limits . It must also be rememberedthat this update represents a vision and keypriorities for each region, with no analysis ofpolicy mechanisms to achieve these aims orsuggestions for measuring progress. However,with a One Planet aspiration now in place, thechallenge for the Wales Spatial Plan process

from now on , is to drive this philosophy throughthe entire plan and evidence how a change inscope, focus and structural funding can achieveOne Wales:One Planet aims, rather than focuson a growth model which is difficult to sustain.

One groundbreaking tool for doing this is theSustainable Development Commission's reportLow Carbon Wales: Regional Priorities forAction (2009) which sets out not just a processfor WSP areas to follow, but key indicators andlow carbon options for each Wales Spatial Planarea to research, evidence and plan around.This is a key building block to develop regionalthinking on low carbon, and importantly abenchmark to measure each progress againstin coming years.

In terms of economic regeneration, the NorthWales Coast Action Plan 2016 (2009) providessome evidence the One Wales, One Planet andGreen Jobs agenda is being considered, focusingon opportunities in the housing sector,renewable energy sector and the Rhyl EnergyStrategy but suggests no appropriate monitoringarrangements to evidence progress. Mon aMenai's plan(2008) focuses on a skills clusteron nuclear skills (given the closure of Wylfa),with no mention of low carbon/renewablesopportunities, and Heads of the Valleys plan(2006), highlights CSH, BREEAM and otherguidance. WAG face a similar challenge withlocal regeneration plans, how to focus thefunding better at One Planet outcomes, evidencethose outcomes, and importantly account for theway they contribute to the 'whole' - i.e. carbonabatement and footprint production.

WAG's consultation on an Economic RenewalProgramme during 2010 opened up the debatein Wales about what a future post - recessioneconomy may look like in Wales askingconsultees about appropriate governmentintervention, measurement and businesssupport . References to sustainableconsumption, the One Planet Agenda andfootprint reduction were absent in theconsultation document. This was either asignificant missed opportunity or a deliberatemove, in a key area of policy to start to moveaway from the One Planet commitment.

11


Close examination of the output of thisconsultation, the Economic DevelopmentReview (2010) shows that the One Planetagenda has not been linked into the policydebate. Much is made of the use of sustainabledevelopment as a central organising principle toinform decision making, but there is no mentionof ecological limits on resource use as part of thereview. Mention of sustainable consumption isconspicuously absent, with a great emphasis onsustainability and efficiencies in production.The document does place sustainabledevelopment at the centre of its debate oninfrastructure, approaches to land managementand planning and discussion on carbon andenergy efficiency in its approaches to R&D andgr. There is much in the document in terms ofre-aligning priorities and systems (e.g. planning)which will help in working towards a One Planetagenda, but there is no evidence that reductionof the ecological footprint is part of this policydiscourse. There are also missed opportunitiesin giving a strong message to partners on zerocarbon development via Building Regulationspost 2011, and supply chain efficiencies as partof the procurement sections. In all, thedocument fails to acknowledge the One PlanetOne Wales commitment, providing a mixedmessage on its commitment to this policy aim.

It is critical, if WAG are to have credibilityon their commitment to long term footprintreduction and One Planet living, that debatearound the proposed Wales StrategicInfrastructure Plan (which will considerapproaches in Wales to resources, low carbon,waste, water, land, food, flood defence andhousing) also includes footprint reduction as anultimate measure of its progress and success.

There are some positive aspects from the Review,particularly on the context and challenges foreconomic development in Wales around climatechange, resource productivity, decarbonisingthe energy supply, pressure on land, ecosystemsservices and long termism acknowledging "theland of Wales is our ultimate resource base".It seems strange then, that a measure, -ecological footprinting and the One Planet aim,which brings all of these elements together, ismissing from the discourse.

RECOMMENDATION 10WAG should firmly embed One Wales:One Planet as key principle within theEconomic Development Review and evidencehow economic development policies andmechanisms will impact on footprint reductionand carbon abatement.

RECOMMENDATION 11WAG should firmly embed One Wales:One Planet as key principle In its work withpartners on Wales Strategic Infrastructure Planand other economic/regeneration plans andevidence how economic development policiesand mechanisms will impact on footprintreduction and carbon abatement.

12


Table 5: Policy mechanisms for One Planet Economy and BusinessWWF One Planet EconomyIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Ecological Footprint

Sustainable sourcing pilot

for materials and imports

Supply chain management in

industrial clusters

Retail business partnership

Social enterprise pilots

Green visitor scheme

Sustainable consumption

campaign in schools and colleges

Long term one planet

products strategy

Ethical investment

programme and carbon

trading in financial sector

Strategies for

2020-2050

100% sustainable ethical sourcing

Integrated supply chain

management

Sustainable product life design

Social enterprise to reduce

product consumption

Financial: Carbon trading,

community credits; triple bottom

line accounting; mutual/cooperative

equity structures

Retail: Logistics, premises,

sourcing, product life, equity

structure and local markets

Tourism: Transport, catering,

accommodation, diversification

and landscape management.

Social enterprise, intermediate

labour markets and community

self help

Tyndall 3%, 6%, 9% asksfor businessFor 3% annual emissions

reduction

Maximum efficiency in energy

management

Biomass


For 6 emissions reduction

Electrification of heating and

processes

Reduced ‘dirty’ production

and 9% emissions reduction

Carbon Capture and Storage

depositories

Restructure to service economy

& low carbon goods

WAG Policy Mechanisms and targets(where available)Regulations:EU Emissions Trading Scheme

Carbon Reduction Commitment

Pollution Prevention & Control

Energy Using Products Directive

Support for business, training,

education:FS4B - EMS and low carbon

WRAP - waste awareness

Carbon Trust Low carbon and resilient

business & Carbon Trust SME

support.£1.2m over 3 years

Constructing Excellence - construction

Education for sustainable

development and global citizenship

Action Plan

Sector Skills Council - renewables

champions

Funding:Sustainable Risk Assessment

Template for WAG contracts greater

than £25K

R&D and Commercialisation Funding

RDP Axis 2 renewables funding

Wood Energy Business Scheme

Community Renewable Energy Pilots

EU Convergence and

Competitiveness funding Priority 4

Green Jobs Strategy measuresEcological Footprint

GVA and resource efficiency

Electricity from low carbon

Co2 emission to GVA

GHG emissions

Waste arisings

Sustainable Tourism Measures% visit by public transport

% visitor journeys by public transport

Tourism enterprises with

environmental certificate

Visitor carbon emissions (as part of

Tourism Footprint)

Visitor waste arisings (as part of

Tourism Footprint)

RELEVANT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWED WHICH CONSIDER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND REGENERATIONTurning Heads Strategy for Heads ofthe Valleys to 2020 - WAG (2006)

Sustainable Tourism Framework - WAG (2007)

Môn a Menai Action Plan - WAG (2008)

People Places Futures -Wales SpatialPlan Update - WAG (2008)

North West Coast Action Plan - WAG (2009)

Capturing the Potential: A Green Jobs Strategy for Wales -WAG ( 2009)

Sustainable Development Scheme - WAG (2009)

Low Carbon Wales: Regional Priorities for Action - SDC (2009)

Consultation Document: Economic Renewal Programme -WAG (2010)

Draft Climate Change Strategy - WAG (2010)

13


Table 6 sets out 'asks' from the work of WWFand Tyndall for the public sector. By 2011, WWFwere suggesting that we would need systems oflocal and organic food procurement, low carbonhouse building, carbon trading in the publicsector and initiatives to consider transport andbuilt environment impacts. Tyndall suggest thathalf of the required 3% emissions reduction canbe achieved through existing measures withinthe public sector, with little detail of what mightachieve the other 50%.

How effectively is the procurement system setup to deliver these changes to the now estimated£5 billion spend by the public sector in theWelsh economy? There is no doubt that some ofthe tools and partnerships are in place throughthe work of Value Wales and the involvement ofa range of sectors and purchasing consortia inthe All Wales Sourcing Strategy, and via WAG’sown sustainable procurement strategy whichinvolves a sustainability risk assessment on allspending over £25,000. There are impressiveexamples of good practice in procurementthrough WAG, of its buildings (Llandudno) andthrough its influence on NHS estates and itscollaborative work with local government (seeAdding Value 2009). In previous sections onOne Planet Food and One Planet Building we

have also seen an impressive range ofcumulative activity to pursue local sourcingand low carbon, energy efficient design. Theintroduction of the Carbon ReductionCommitment is also providing the basis forfuture carbon trading in the public sector. Thisframework initially seems a very good basis todevelop a One Planet Procurement Strategy andfurther roll out of sustainable food, building andtransport and carbon trading in the public sectorsuggested by WWF 2020-2050. However, towhat extent do current activities make the'outcomes for the Welsh pound' moresustainable? Again, as with other sections in thisreport, and absence of evidence on thecumulative impact of these initiatives, andaccounting for carbon and footprint reductionmeans we have no clarity on how much of the£5billion is now being spent more sustainably,and what proportion is still being spentunsustainably.

WWF's suggested in their 2007 report, One Planet Wales,that the public sector role in a One Planet Economy willbe to ensure the stewardship of our environmental assetsand ecosystem services and to manage the markets in thepublic goods that they provide.

A key opportunity was consistently highlighted in the report - public procurement(expenditure was estimated then at £6 billion) and the report suggested thatthrough this, the public sector could promote footprint reduction and emissionsreduction in supply chains, more sustainable building, low impact infrastructure,sustainable regeneration and transport. It estimated that services and the publicsector accounted for 12% of Wales ecological footprint in 2001 and that thisimpact was growing due to the shift towards service activity in Wales .

The report also suggested that One Planet Wales needed a commitment to changefrom the public sector, skills in multi level governance and new partnershipsparticularly around health and education ( a large component of the Servicesfootprint). WAG state in their Sustainable Development Scheme (2009) that theyaim to stabilise the public sector’s ecological footprint by 2020 - is this achievable, andwhat mechanisms are WAG using to influence the public sector along this pathway?

ONE PLANETPUBLIC SERVICES

14


A more detailed examination of the messagesto the public sector provide a 'patchier' picture,for both local government and the health sector.In recent years, not least because of the economicdownturn, there has been a re-examinationof WAG’s relationship with local government(see Local Service Boards in Wales - Realisingthe Potential (2008), A New Understandingbetween Welsh Assembly Government and LocalGovernment in Wales - WAG (2009) and BetterOutcomes: Tougher Times: The Next Phase ofPublic Sector Improvement - WAG (2009).

There has also been a parallel restructuring of thehealth sector with the establishment of 7 LocalHealth Boards, each required to develop 5 yearStrategic Workforce and Finance Plans. It couldbe argued that this debates and 're-organisation'of priorities has presented an opportunity forWAG to drive home the OWOP agenda into newmechanisms and arrangements - to deliver thechanges to 'multi level governance' needed' assuggested by WWF. It could be argued that theyrepresent a series of missed opportunities.

In guidance for setting up Local ServiceBoards in Wales (2008), WAG neglectedto list specific policy deliverables for the OneWales agenda, including footprint or carbonreduction. Perhaps as a result, of the 90+priorities identified by LSBs across Walessince 2008, only 6 deal with collaborativebetween local organisations on climatechange, carbon reduction or footprinting.

In their debate with local governmentvia their publications A New Understandingand Better Outcomes Tougher Times (both2009), WAG’s references to climate changeand sustainable development as keyprinciples of collaboration, aresupplemented by suggestions for sharedoutcome measures on sustainable travel,sustainable land management, low wasteand low carbon. However, there is nomention of the One Planet aspiration orecological limits on economic growth orsustainable consumption. A recentProspectus for Local Authority OutcomeAgreements with associated grants (a majorfinancial mechanism) has also failed toexplicitly promote the One Planet aspiration.

As health services have restructuredaround Local Health Boards in Wales, therehas been no mention of OWOP as part oftheir terms of reference , and no explicitreference to carbon reduction in the NHSOperating Framework 2010/11. There arereferences to the aspiration as part of theNHS's e governance support, but no clarityon performance measurement. It is hard tofind evidence in the policy 'architecture' ofthe commitment made in the SD scheme of“clear duties to the new (health) bodies todemonstrate best practice in planning anddesign, building, transport, wastemanagement, and in use of energy andwater". Although, a recent announcement byAM Edwina Hart highlights NHS approachesto biomass, CHP, recycling and travelplanning in hospitals and the success of a£3million, 3 year energy efficiencyinvestment scheme saving 13.4 kT of Co2.The work carried out by SEI and others in2004 Material Health- a mass balance andecological footprint of the NHS in Englandand Wales provides some clear indications ofpriorities for reducing the footprint of theNHS, however, these are not reflected in theNHS's performance management framework.

The development of Local GovernmentMeasure is another key debate since theOWOP aspiration. The purpose of theMeasure was to reform the statutory basisfor service improvement and communityplanning by local authorities in Wales - a keymechanism for multi -level governance, anddelivering the One Planet aspiration. As aresult of the Measure's adoption (OPSI 2009)local authorities’ performance will bemonitored on how effectively it is improvingits sustainability, efficiency and strategiceffectiveness, and how it is working withcommunity partners to deliver long termobjectives for sustainable development. Thereis likely to be a light touch in monitoring ofthis by WAG and local authorities will be ableto define their own performance indicatorsto demonstrate performance, although thisdoes provide WAG with more powers todirect performance if they see fit, it is unlikelythat specific references will be made tofootprinting or One Planet living through themonitoring of the Measure.

15


Community Strategies are identified byWAG as the key local level document to reflectOne Wales policies. Advice notes from WAGon Sustainable Development (2008) andClimate Change (2009) do reference carbonand footprint reduction as aims ofCommunity Strategies, but there is norequirement of local authorities to drive thisinto their local policy making, or have these asshared performance indicators at a local level

From this evidence a familiar pattern isemerging of: developing and encouraginggood practice; failing to mainstream OWOPinto extremely important, strategiccollaborative work; an absence of OWOPmeasures in the performance managementrequirements for WAG and for others. To thisend the following recommendations are madeto ensure we can more effectively account forthe public sector's contribution (negativelyor positively) to One Planet living.

RECOMMENDATION 12WAG should consistently embed One Wales:One Planet as key principle within all of theirdiscourse with the public sector, localgovernment, AGSBs and the Health sectoracross all of their own divisions, requiringeach division to report each year on howthey have done this.

RECOMMENDATION 13WAG should influence public sectorperformance management frameworks inWales to account for carbon and footprintreduction through policy and delivery ofservices and to require the public sector toreport on delivery of associated targets.

RECOMMENDATION 14WAG and the public sector should as part oftheir procurement powers demonstrate howeffectively the 'Welsh Pound' and the Euro(via WEFO and EU Structural Funding) aredelivering on footprint and carbon reductionand publish an annual account alongsidefinancial reporting requirements.

16


Table 6: Policy mechanisms for One Planet Public ServicesWWF One Planet ServicesIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Footprint

Local and organic food

procurement for public catering

Low carbon house building

demonstration

Public sector internal carbon

market

First phase greening of health

and education buildings, catering

transport and other suppliers.

Strategies for

2020-2050

One Planet Procurement Strategy

Energy procurement and supply

partnerships,.

Pilot internal carbon trading market

for the public sector with energy

partnership investment programme.

Demand management for food

in public sector.

Green travel plans for all

public sector

100% sustainable sourcing and

ethical trading

Supply Chain Partnerships

Procurement of Organic &

Sustainable Food

Tyndall 3%, 6%, 9% asksFor 3% annual emissions

reduction

50% of emissions can be dealt with

using existing possible approaches:


Carbon Trust

Pay-back Schemes

For 6 and 9% emissions reduction

No recommendations

WAG Policy Mechanisms and targets(where available)

All Wales Sourcing Strategy

(for Higher Education, Local

Government, WAG, NHS and

Further Education)

21st Century Schools

Designed for Life

Llandudno Junction WAG building

Sustainable Procurement Action

Framework

Sustainable Risk Assessment for

WAG contracts greater than £25K

Sustainable Buildings Action Plan

(10% recycled materials)

Mechanisms to engage Local

Government and NHS

19 National Outcome Statements

Local Service Board delivery

Agreements

Local Authority Outcome

Agreements

Community Strategies

Local Health Board 5 year

Strategic Plans

RELEVANT POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWED ON THE PUBLIC SECTORLocal Service Boards in Wales - Realising the PotentialRoutemap - WAG (2008)

A New Understanding between Welsh AssemblyGovernment and Local Government in Wales - WAG (2009)

Better Outcomes: Tougher Times: The Next Phase ofPublic Sector Improvement - WAG (2009)

In the eye of the storm -The political, financial and servicechallenges 2009-14 - WLGA (2009)

Adding Value: examples of good practice in procurementand delivery - WAG (2009)

Local Government Measure (2009)http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/wales/mwa2009/mwa_20090002_en_6

Designed for Life: Creating World Class Health andSocial Care in Wales in the 21st Century - WAG 2005

NHS in Wales - why we are changing the structure- WAG (2009)

NHS Operating Framework 2010/11 - WAG & NHS inWales - WAG (2010)

Material Health- a mass balance and ecological footprintof the NHS in England and Wales SEI, BFF, RSNC,Biffa Waste, NHS -(2004)

17


What is evident from a review of documentationis that WAG have been incredibly active in thisarea since 2007, particularly in building upevidence base and seeking to understand thepolicy 'problems 'of energy use, emissionsreductions and climate change in Wales, set outin the Energy Statement (2010) and draft ClimateChange Strategy (2010). WAG have developed aset of clear targets and policy mechanisms todeliver emissions reductions across Wales. TheirOne Wales 3% emissions reduction commitmenthas been supplemented by some clear targets,which provide a basis for monitoring andaccountability in the medium term:

Double electricity from renewables by 2025from 2010 level

80% reductions in emissions by 2050

Offshore Wind- 15kWh/d/p by 2015/216

Tidal - 10% tidal/wave captured by 2025

Onshore Wind - 4.5kWh/d/p by 2015/17

Hydro & Geothermal 1kWh (by unknown)

Bioenergy 6kWh/d/p by 2020 (50%domestic and 50% imported)

The Energy Statement document certainlyprovides the national programme for energycalled for by WWF in 2007, and includes plansfor microgeneration, large scale renewables(on and offshore) feed in tariffs and gridimprovement and also sets out WAG’s positionon nuclear energy and the proposed SevernBarrage. In terms of the other earlyinterventions suggested by WWF in 2007, EU Emissions Trading is still receiving strongcriticism across Europe and within the UK, andquestions still remain over its effectiveness inWales to cap emissions, however, theintroduction of the Carbon ReductionCommitment has put in place some keycomponents future carbon trading in the public ,education and retail sectors in the medium term.Local actions on energy will be potentiallydelivered through TAN 8: Renewable Energyand the Infrastructure Planning Commissionand the proposed Low Carbon Hub and LowCarbon Transport Network, as well as localauthority responses to CRC, HEES and ARBED,as well as the financial investment forCommunity Energy project, Woodland Energyand Biogas. It is also clear that there are a raft offinancial mechanisms in place to drive emissionsreductions and energy efficiency.

Early work by SEI and WWF in Wales (2005) calculatedthe energy footprint of Wales at 0.92 gha or 17.5% ofWales' total footprint. More recent studies by SEI havecalculated the embodied energy footprint in other footprintcomponents such as services, food, travel, tourism andconsumables, and not calculated a separate energy

footprint. This illustrates that, in order to achieve One Planet Wales we need toconsider both direct and indirect energy use in the goods and services we consume.

Previous sections of this report have dealt with energy reductions within the Food,Building and Transport sectors, nevertheless, it is useful to examine some of thesepolicy mechanisms again in Table 4 which sets out the Energy 'asks' from the work ofWWF, SEI and Tyndall and the WAG policy mechanisms referenced from a range ofdocuments including A Low Carbon Revolution –The Welsh Assembly GovernmentEnergy Policy Statement - WAG (2010), the draft Climate Change Strategy (2010)and various plans for micro-generation, bio-fuels, renewable energy etc.

ONE PLANETENERGY

18


This approach by WAG has set a clear directionon energy policy and climate change in Waleswith a strong evidence base, giving opportunitiesto develop partnerships in the future to deliversome of the policy interventions suggested byWWF for 2020-50. the One Planet aspirationseems to have been at the heart of the debate.

This all seems very positive and might suggestthat all of this collective effort will enable theSEI and Tyndall interventions to be achieved,however, as with other policy areas, a cleareraccounting system of the exact emissionsreduction expected for each policy interventionwould enable us to get a sense of whether theseefforts are equivalent to a 15% reduction inenergy use by 60% of the population or a 10%emission reduction by the public sector, or overthe longer term a zero carbon public sector.Regular stock takes of the extent ofmicrogeneration or heat pump uptake in theresidential sector would also provide a clearerpicture of progress and what needs to be done.A clear and understandable performancemonitoring process needs to be set up for boththe Energy Statement and pending ClimateChange Strategy.

If we are to get a clear picture of our effortstowards One Planet Energy, and our effortstowards other One Planet aspirations, it issuggested that WAG and the Climate ChangeCommission explore the potential for a systemof national carbon accounting, where carbonabatement or growth figures are placed alongsidefinancial information for government, AGSB andlocal authorities, and against policy interventionsto understand their worth or cost in financial andcarbon terms. The performance measurementframework in Wales should be increasinglygeared towards the One Planet agenda, and thisis an opportunity where Wales could lead inmonitoring and reporting on its progress - isthis making enough difference soon enough?

RECOMMENDATION 15WAG should measure footprint reduction andcarbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms on Energy &Climate Change- in order to achieve an insightinto progress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 16WAG should explore, with the Climate ChangeCommission, the potential for a system ofnational carbon accounting to sit alongsidefinancial reporting systems and form a centralpart of the Wales performance managementframework. This would include an assessmentof the effectiveness of the Carbon ReductionCommitment.

RECOMMENDATION 17WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing Energy footprint andEmissions reduction, comment on thecumulative impact of initiatives, and the scaleof the intervention that is still required tomeet clear targets.

19


Table 4: Policy mechanisms for Reduction of Energy Use and EmissionsWWF One Planet EnergyIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction in

Energy Footprint

Medium to long term

programme for wind,

solar and biomass at

local and regional level.

Microgeneration

programme with

utility rebates.

Internal carbon trading

& energy partnerships

in public sector

Strategic programme

for national energy.

Strategies for

2020-2050

Fourfold increase in

renewable energy from

2000-2010 levels offshore,

onshore, biomass and

waste recovery

Utility finance and

distribution partnerships

for microgeneration.

Carbon trading and quota

schemes for affordable

warmth and commercial

mega-watt investment

SEI 2020 scenariosFor 10% reduction

by 2020

60% of the population

achieve a 15% reduction

in energy use by 2020


emissions reduction

2011 onwards all houses

zero carbon

Train and bus journeys

increasingly powered by

zero carbon grid

Business adopt energy

efficiency and biomass

10% emission reduction

by public sector

9% emissions

reduction

2011 onwards all houses

zero carbon

Heat pumps in 60%

houses

20% of homes have solar

water heating

For business, fossil fuel

replaced by electricity

from zero carbon grid

Zero carbon public sector

WAG Policy Mechanisms andtargets (where available)Mechanisms:

EU Emissions Trading

Scheme

Carbon Reduction

Commitment

Permitting

Climate Change Levy

Renewables Obligations

Renewables Heat

Incentives

TAN 8 - Renewable

Energy

HEES support efficiency

measures in 3000 homes

per year

ARBED £30 million to

support energy measures

in 10,000 homes

extensive SMART

meter installation

£15m for 22 Community

Energy projects

4 DECC Community led

renewables projects

Reduce planning barriers

to microgeneration

£5m for Anaerobic

Digestion expansion

via Glastir from 2012

£17m for Wood Energy

Business Scheme

early adoption of

renewable energy

heat incentive

pilot smart grid

technology

support for feed in tariffs

Carbon Capture and

Storage Research and

requirement of new

fossil fuel plants

Low Carbon Economy

Transport Network on

M4 corridor (hybrid,

hydrogen, electric)

Low Carbon Hub

Carbon Trust/Energy

Savings Trust support;

Land Use Planning

Wales Ecological Footprint (2005) SEI,WAG, WWF

Microgeneration Action Planfor Wales (2007)

Renewable Energy Route Map for Wales:consultation on way forward to a leaner,greener and cleaner Wales - WAG (2008)

Consultation on a Bioenergy Plan- WAG (2009)

National Energy Efficiency and SavingsPlan Consultation - WAG (2009)

Fuel Poverty Consultation - WAG (2010)

A Low Carbon Revolution – The WelshAssembly Government Energy PolicyStatement - WAG (2010)

Draft Climate Change Strategy (2010)

RELEVANT ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES AND STRATEGIES REVIEWED

20


Table 7 shows the requirements suggested byWWF by 2011 to set the right path for 10%footprint production, as well as policy measuressuggested by SEI and Tyndall Centre and WAGpolicy mechanisms suggested in Towards ZeroWaste, the Sustainable Development Schemeand draft Climate Change Strategy. There areclearly strong supporting mechanisms,legislative (e.g. Waste Framework Directive)financial (e.g. Sustainable Waste ManagementGrant), practical (e.g. Sector Skills Councils)and behavioural (e.g. Waste Awareness Wales)to help to drive forward policy and targets. Interms of WWF's ask pre 2011, the WasteProtocols Project and support for community ledinitiatives such as Freecycle are helping to focuson re-use and material exchanges, Supply ChainAction plans should help to ensure materialrecovery in supply chain management, theproposed legislative Waste Wales Measure 2010is targeting plastic bags and schoolsprogrammes are supported indirectly via theKeep Wales Tidy Eco-Schools campaign, WasteAwareness Wales, Cylch and local authorityactivity resulting in 1,508 Eco schools in Wales.(SEI's ask around reduction of food waste hasbeen dealt with in Section 1)

According to Tyndall, implementation of theZero Waste Strategy will meet the 3% reductiontargets, it is unclear what significant investmentwould help to provide 6% reduction, other thanperhaps extensive investment in AnaerobicDigestion (see comments in Section 1) however,it is unlikely that Zero Waste target would bebrought forward to 2025 to achieve a 9%reduction in this sector, given the policy beingdeveloped by WAG.

For WWF's strategies 2020-2050 there arestill clearly some challenges, for EU and UKcampaigns on eco-labelling, but also in termof creating Wales' own market and legislativeconditions where deposit return, product take-back, packaging return are the norm. TheCourtaulds Commitment 2 with 29 groceryretailing signatories committing to packagingreduction is a positive step, as is theestablishment of a Packaging Advisory Groupto reduce packaging and activity around theProducer Responsibility Obligations onagricultural packaging. Towards Zero Wastecommits to the development of action plans inkey sectors, domestic, municipal, constructionand demolition, food and drink and the publicsector , which should also focus on supply chain

WWF (2007) provided a vision of a future before2050 of high material and commodity prices andexpensive waste management solutions, wheremore intelligent approaches to resource recycling,re-manufacture and re-use would minimise theneed for virgin products and imports. WWF (2007)

suggested that waste accounts for around 15% of the ecological footprint of Waleswith 50% of this from commercial sources, 35% from municipal waste and 15%from construction and demolition waste.

In 2009 WAG placed the One Planet aspiration and footprint reduction at the verycentre of its consultation on the waste strategy Towards Zero Waste: One Wales:One Planet 2009-2050 with footprint reduction targets for these different sectors,and a clear relationship between past footprint analysis and policy. Clear targets of70% recycling rate in all sectors by 2025 and to work towards zero waste by 2050provide strong, long term market signals across Wales, and a raft of other targetsfirmly link waste to climate change (greenhouse gas emissions) and sustainableconsumption (resource efficiency, Wales domestic material consumption).

ONE PLANETRESOURCES

21


efficiencies. As mentioned in previous sectionsValue Wales and the Sustainable BuildingsAction plan are encouraging the re-use ofmaterials through procurement and construction.The Regional Waste Management Plans alsoidentify the use of end of pipe energy recovery asa key issue and the priorities for local investmentin the waste infrastructure, backed up by theWaste Infrastructure Procurement Programme.In short, most of the dialogue, mechanisms,targets and partnerships seem to be in place todrive waste footprint reduction and importantlyaccount for its reduction.

It is the translation of these commitments,measurement and accounting for waste footprintreduction at a regional level in Wales thatpresents a stern challenge for WAG. One keymechanism for this is the Wales Spatial Plan,which also commits to footprint measurement ata regional scale within Wales. The recentlyproposed Wales Strategic Infrastructure Plan,Regional Waste Management Plans, if they are tobe updated, and the sectoral action plans need toconsistently provide footprint measurement astheir baseline.

One key component that also needs to be at thecentre of the One Planet Resources dialogue,referred to by WWF in One Planet Wales is thewater footprint. The impact of climate change onwater resources in Wales and internationallyprovides an imperative for Wales to account forits consumption beyond Wales' borders as part ofits One Planet aspiration. Clearly the embodiedwater consumption via supply chains is notcurrently accounted for in current discussionsand strategic planning and needs to be prioritisedat a national and regional level as a target to meetthe One Planet aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 18The Waste Footprint is used as key indicator ata regional level within Wales to inform the workof Wales Spatial Plan, Regional Waste Plans,proposed Wales Strategic Infrastructure Plan andalso for local authorities, private and third sectors.Waste footprint reduction is accounted for.

RECOMMENDATION 19The Water Footprint is adopted as a nationaland regional indicator in Wales to account forembodied water use through the population'sconsumption of goods and services. Waterfootprint reduction is accounted for.

22


Table 7WWF One Planet ResourcesIn place by 2011 for

10% reduction

Reuse and remanufacturing,

material exchanges.

Waste technology, material recovery

and supply chain management

Bag free retail centres with

deposit return schemes

School programmes for creative

recycling.

Strategies for

2020-2050

Deposit return, product take-back,

eco-labelling regulation of high

impacts products.

Waste recovery (end of pipe)

and energy recovery.

Zero packaging return deposit

systems.

Sectoral strategies for waste

management – procurement,

incentive, local tax and investment.

Water and timber (as well as

carbon trading)

SEI 2020 scenarios Tyndall 3%, 6%, 9% asksSEI 2020 scenarios for 10%

reduction in Food Footprint

by 2020

Reducing food waste across the

population by a sixth by 2020

Tyndall 3%, 6%, 9% asks

For 3% annual

emissions reductionZero Waste Strategy

For 6%Significant investment in

infrastructure

and 9% emissions reductionZero Waste by 2025 and not 2050

WAG Policy Mechanisms and targets(where available)Long term targets:

One Planet Waste by 2050

Waste 70% recycling rate across

all sectors by 2025.

Policy levers:

Waste Framework Directive 2010

Waste Wales Measure

Landfill Directive & Allowance

Packaging Directive

Environmental permits

WRAP & WAW

Regional Waste Plans

Waste Protocols Project

Sectoral Supply Chain Action Plans

DCELLS Skills Council

FS4B

Envirowise

Constructing Excellence

Financial levers:

Annual Sustainable Waste

Management Grant £59 million

in 2009/10

Anaerobic Digestion £3.5 million

p.a. 2010/11 - £20 million

Landfill Tax

Aggregates Levy

Proposed measures in

Towards Zero Waste Strategy:

Waste Ecological Footprints

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

from waste

Waste arisings

Wales domestic material

consumption

Resource efficiency CO2 to GVA

Towards Zero Waste:One Wales:One Planet 2009-2050 -WAG (2009)

North Wales Regional WasteManagement Plan 1st Review(2008)

South West Wales Regional WasteManagement Plan 1st Review(2008)

South East Wales Regional WasteManagement Plan 1st review (2007)

Courtaulds Commitment 2http://www.wrap.org.uk/retailcourtauld_commitment/

RELEVANT POLICIES AND STRATEGIESREVIEWED ON WASTE

23


WWF, SEI and Tyndall identify a number ofconditions which are required in Wales to achievefootprint and carbon reduction and One Planet living,which fall into the broad definition of 'governance'and all point to 'scaling up' of activity, understanding,influence and investment.

ONE PLANETGOVERNANCE

These include:

High level policies needed whichexplicitly reference role in footprintreduction/growth.

Local schemes which target highfootprint activities.

Broad infrastructural changes tosupport sustainable behaviours.

Broad understanding of the populationof aim to reduce footprint.

For 6% emissions reduction - significantupfront capital investment

WAG themselves suggest that OWOP willrequire "commitment and tenacity to deliverthis over a 40 year timescale". WWF suggest theneed for a "multi-level programme - of policyand investment, visioning and capacitybuilding - all of which should lead tomeasurable results on the ground". It is clearfrom the evidence cited in this report a lot ofexcellent work has gone on to develop statutoryand financial mechanisms, policies and actionsto develop footprint reduction, yet we do nothave a clear idea of how far this is taking us inthe right direction, if at all. It should be stressedthat many of the prerequisites identified byWWF in One Planet Wales for short termfootprint reduction by 2011 are in place in thepolicy architecture, if, they are being andcontinue to be implemented effectively.

There are some good examples where footprintmeasurement is at the heart of policy making(waste) and some poor examples wherefootprinting could provide different perspectiveon the success, or lack of success in our policy(transport). There have been missedopportunities - particularly in engagement withthe public sector and economic development

review. We can all point to great examples ofdoing things in the right way, but at the sametime we can question whether these areexceptions to the rule, and make relatively littledifference to an unsustainable trend (e.g. 4Sustainable Travel Centres versus projectedtraffic growth) or do they represent tangiblechange to our current unsustainable ways ofdoing things? Is all of the admirable effortreviewed in this report stemming footprintgrowth or even beginning to reduce it?

The short answer is we just don't know.Therefore many of the recommendations in thisreport are about measurement, evidence andaccountability. Accounting for our actions interms of carbon and footprint, howeverstatistically difficult , should be a pre-requisiteof a nation aspiring to One Planet living. Thesemeasures need to be communicated as wedevelop policy and make difficult choices aboutfinance and investment in the future. They shouldhelp us to avoid passing on greater liabilities toour descendants. They should be embedded inthe way we judge performance of ourgovernment(s) and public services. WAG have avery difficult and immediate challenge to meettheir own supporting principle "all of our policieswill show how we will reduce Wales’ EcologicalFootprint to work towards our vision".

This report supports WAO findings that WAGneed to develop a consistent approach toecological footprint reduction, involvingpartnerships in all policy areas (e.g. WalesSpatial Plan, Regional Transport Plans, RegionalWaste Plans). Until this is done, and a consistentmeasure is applied to the effectiveness of policy,all we have is a diverse set of policies, that wehope are broadly sending us on a moresustainable path. WAG’s own SustainableDevelopment Scheme targets a stabilisationby 2020 and then reduction of the ecologicalfootprint in housing; food and drink; transport;

24


consumer items and Wales Spatial Plan areas.2020 is now less than ten years away. Many ofthe key policy documents (Regional TransportPlans) hardly have footprint reduction on theagenda, let alone a method of analysing wherethe biggest investments and efforts should bemade to reduce the footprint. These policiesleave long legacies in terms of infrastructuralinvestments. Time is short and a 'tenacious'effort will be required to re-focus policytowards OWOP in the coming decade.

There are clearly areas of difficulty for theWelsh government to influence One Planetliving, where things are dealt with at a UK level,where they do not have the statutory footing tocompel others to act, where influencing lifestylesand behaviours, beyond signposting support andgood practice can be interpreted as the actionsof a 'nanny state'. However, what is clear fromthis report is that Welsh government has awealth of tools at its disposal to influence 'TeamWales' in the right direction, and to exert itsinfluence beyond Wales borders. We need amethod to judge whether these tools are beingused effectively enough, soon enough. Theecological footprint, water footprint and carbonaccounting provide methods of helping withthat accountability.

WAG should be congratulated in settingsustainable development as key organisingprinciple of government via the SustainableDevelopment Scheme, developing a mechanismfor 'sign up' of partners via the SustainableDevelopment Charter and for being so robustin its broad target setting for footprint reduction"one planet living within a generation" -however at present there is no evidence that thecumulative effort adds up to what is required.Linking footprinting to Wales Spatial Plan, thePolicy Gateway Tool and their Strategic CapitalInvestment Framework's are smart moves.However, there is a sense that the Scheme doesnot provide a plan for One Planet living inWales, and that a plan - an overall sense ofprogress, or lack of it, is desperately required toprovide and an overview of where our efforts arebest concentrated to reduce the footprint. OnePlanet living will not be pursued by defaultthrough existing policy mechanisms - something

needs to drive the concept through policy silos.There is a danger OWOP will get lost in the'noise' of funding cuts and entrenchment indifferent areas of high footprint impact. Itsinfluence on the proposed Wales StrategicInfrastructure Plan will be a litmus test ofWAG’s commitment to footprint reductionand One Planet living.

Current 'scrutiny' arrangements for the Scheme,and presumably therefore WAG's approach tothe One Planet aspiration are dealt with withinWAG, within the National Assembly'sSustainability Committee, via SDC's input intothe Annual Review of the Scheme and in termsof emissions reduction, via the Climate ChangeCommission. Given the weaknesses in'accounting' and 'accountability' highlightedin this report, and despite the development ofappropriate indicators, including the footprint,it is of real concern how progress will bemeasured and reported.

Therefore the following recommendations aremade around One Planet Governance:

RECOMMENDATION 20A One Wales:One Planet Routemap isdeveloped by WAG, Climate ChangeCommission and others to promote theconcept from an aspiration to an imperative forgovernment functions and partnerships, withclear targets and measurement. This will aidreporting, scrutiny and accountability.

RECOMMENDATION 21A method of regular scrutiny and reportingis devised which critically examines how theOne Wales: One Planet Routemap is beingdelivered or ignored by government functionsand partnerships, involving Wales Audit Officeand other relevant bodies in Wales.

25


RECOMMENDATION 1WAG should measure footprint reductionand carbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms in Food andAgriculture - in order to achieve an insight intoprogress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 2WAG reporting should, in addition to good practiceon reducing the Food footprint, comment on thecumulative impact of initiatives, and the scaleof the intervention that is still required tomeet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 3Greater emphasis should be placed onconnecting the health benefits of lowerfootprint diets in WAG policy and fundedinterventions in all sectors.

RECOMMENDATION 4WAG should measure - footprint reductionand carbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms on Housingand Building, in order to achieve an insightinto progress towards OWOP.

RECOMMENDATION 5WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing the Building footprint,comment on the cumulative impact ofinitiatives, and the scale of the interventionthat is still required to meet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 6The Housing Strategy Programme Boardshould drive the OWOP aspiration through all oftheir work on strategy, policy and finance andaccount for their progress with clear targets.

RECOMMENDATION 7WAG should measure footprint reduction andcarbon abatement, (including aviation andshipping) for all of their relevant strategies andpolicy mechanisms on Transport - in order toachieve an insight into progress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 8WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing Transport footprint,comment on the cumulative impact of initiatives,and the scale of the intervention that isstill required to meet the OPW aspiration.

RECOMMENDATION 9Regional Transport Partnerships shoulddrive the OWOP aspiration through all of their workon strategy, policy and finance and account fortheir progress with clear targets. This should be arequirement of and for Wales TransportStrategy and National Transport Plan andproposed Wales Strategic Infrastructure Plan.

RECOMMENDATION 10WAG should firmly embed One Wales: OnePlanet as key principle within the EconomicDevelopment Review and evidence howeconomic development policies and mechanismswill impact on footprint reduction andcarbon abatement.

RECOMMENDATION 11WAG should firmly embed One Wales: OnePlanet as key principle In its work with partnerson Wales Strategic Infrastructure Plan andother economic/regeneration plans andevidence how economic development policiesand mechanisms will impact on footprintreduction and carbon abatement.

APPENDIX 1 REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS

26


RECOMMENDATION 12WAG should consistently embed One Wales:One Planet as key principle within all of theirdiscourse with the public sector, localgovernment, AGSBs and the health sectoracross all of their own divisions, requiring eachdivision to report each year on how they havedone this.

RECOMMENDATION 13WAG should influence public sectorperformance management frameworksin Wales to account for carbon and footprintreduction through policy and delivery of servicesand to require the public sector to report ondelivery of associated targets.

RECOMMENDATION 14WAG and the public sector should as part of theirprocurement powers demonstrate how effectivelythe 'Welsh Pound' and the Euro (via WEFOand EU Structural Funding) are deliveringon footprint and carbon reduction andpublish an annual account alongside financialreporting requirements.

RECOMMENDATION 15WAG should measure footprint reductionand carbon abatement for all of their relevantstrategies and policy mechanisms on Energy &Climate Change - in order to achieve an insightinto progress towards OPW.

RECOMMENDATION 16WAG should explore, with the Climate ChangeCommission, the potential for a systemof national carbon accounting to sitalongside financial reporting systemsand form a central part of the Wales performancemanagement framework. This would include anassessment of the effectiveness of the CarbonReduction Commitment.

RECOMMENDATION 17WAG reporting should, in addition to goodpractice on reducing Energy footprintand Emissions reduction, comment on thecumulative impact of initiatives, and thescale of the intervention that is stillrequired to meet the OWOP agenda.

RECOMMENDATION 18The Waste Footprint is used as key indicatorat a regional level within Wales to inform thework of Wales Spatial Plan, Regional WastePlans, proposed Wales StrategicInfrastructure Plan and also for localauthorities, private and third sectors. Wastefootprint reduction is accounted for.

RECOMMENDATION 19The Water Footprint is adopted as a nationaland regional indicator in Wales to account forembodied water use through the population'sconsumption of goods and services. Waterfootprint reduction is accounted for.

RECOMMENDATION 20A One Wales: One Planet Routemap is

developed by WAG, Climate Change Commissionand others to promote the concept from anaspiration to an imperative for governmentfunctions and partnerships, with clear targets andmeasurement. This will aid reporting, scrutinyand accountability.

RECOMMENDATION 21A method of regular scrutiny and reporting isdevised which critically examines how theOne Wales: One Planet Routemap is beingdelivered or ignored by government functionsand partnerships, involving Wales Audit Officeand other relevant bodies in Wales.

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WWF-UK, registered charity number 1081247 and registered in Scotland number SC039593. A company

limited by guarantee number 4016725 © 1986 panda symbol and ® “WWF” registered Trademark of

WWF-World Wide Fund For nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund), WWF-UK, Panda house, Weyside Park,

Godalming, Surrey GU7 1XR, T: +44 (0)1483 426333, e: [email protected], wwf.org.uk/wales


progress in embedding the 'one planet' aspiration in...

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