Public authorities across Wales recognize the importance of decarbonisation, but financial and political pressures are pushing it down their priority lists, according to a new report from Audit Wales. The spending watchdog said authorities have made limited progress in understanding the short- and long-term costs of reaching net zero, while a lack of clear incentives and penalties is creating uncertainty about emissions-reduction priorities.
Financial pressures slow decarbonisation
The report said that “decarbonization is moving down the priority list from 2022 onwards due to financial and political pressures.”
“Public authorities told us that overall financial pressures are making it difficult to invest in decarbonisation,” it said.
It also criticized the Welsh Government for failing to define the “collective ambition” of reaching net zero by 2030 as a “goal”.
“There are also no penalties or incentives to drive compliance. Some public bodies told us this is increasing uncertainty around carbon reduction priorities.”
On spending, the report said public authorities had made “limited progress” in understanding the overall cost of decarbonization in both the short and long term.
“When public authorities estimated long-term costs, some said they were unaffordable.”
Anne-Marie Harkin, from Audit Wales, said: “We can list positive examples, but overall we are not making enough progress. We owe it to future generations to do better.”
Public-sector net-zero ambition
In 2017, the then Welsh Labor government called for the public sector to reach net zero by 2030. It argued that public bodies were in a “unique position” to influence emissions in areas such as buildings and transport.
The aim was that if government-backed organizations switched to lower-carbon systems and invested in infrastructure such as electric cars, charging points, renewable power and heating systems, it would become easier and cheaper for the general public to follow suit.
The “collective ambition” does not require every public body to achieve net zero individually by 2030. Instead, it is intended to provide a common direction and an expectation that all public bodies will contribute to reducing emissions.
Welsh Government response
In response to the report, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Net zero in the public sector is a priority for the Welsh Government.
“We want to continue to support the decarbonization of the public sector to reduce emissions and energy bills and strengthen energy security.
“While the 2030 ambition has driven action and leadership, it is clear that there is more work to be done towards decarbonisation across and beyond the public sector in Wales.”
The current Plaid Cymru Government’s ambition is for Wales as a whole to reach net zero by 2040. This is 10 years earlier than the current legally binding targets for Wales and England.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
