Contact/Cyswllt: Sian Cliff
02920 898342 / sian.cliff@wales.gov.uk

‘A new greener future for Wales’ – that’s the promise made by Mick Bates who takes his seat today as Chair of the Welsh Assembly’s Sustainability Committee.

The Committee held their first meeting today where Mick launched the exciting new agenda on sustainability. The agenda will engage the wider public in an extensive carbon appraisal. They will scrutinise the Welsh Assembly Government in the fulfilment of their statutory duty to promote sustainable development in Wales.

The Committee will work hard to ensure that sustainability is embodied into all Welsh Assembly portfolios and policies and will review progress towards the 3% per year carbon reduction target for Wales, set out in the One Wales document.

Commenting on the scope of the agenda Mick said:

“The Committee will focus on residential carbon reduction, reduction in transport, agricultural and industrial sectors, carbon reduction from electricity generation, and the role of the planning system in helping to reduce emissions.

“The Committee make recommendations on a broad range of areas. It also has the power to propose Legislative Competence Orders, which seek to increase the areas in which the Assembly has law making powers.

‘It is a great honour for me to chair this committee. I look forward to working with individuals and organisations as we tackle serious issues that threaten the environment today and endanger the generations of tomorrow.

“Our future is not a gift but a reward for what we do now. I look forward to working with the committee to secure a greener future for Wales.”


End / Diwedd