May 2021 will see elections taking place across Great Britain, with both the Welsh and Scottish Parliaments and English local authorities holding elections. These will be the first elections since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, which will, of course, likely be a major consideration for voters. Another consideration is likely to be how the political parties intend to respond to the climate crisis. The importance of this issue to voters has never been higher[1]; lockdown has forced many people to reconsider the importance of nature and climate to both themselves and society.
In Wales, all the main political parties are likely to feature action on climate change and decarbonisation in their pitch to voters. Decarbonising how we heat our homes, how we move people and goods around the country, and how we generate the electricity we use are some of the key challenges that Wales (and the UK) must address over the next five years and beyond. Emissions from electricity supply, buildings and transport are among the largest sources of carbon dioxide in Wales[2].
Energy Saving Trust is dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, low carbon transport and sustainable energy use. We aim to address the climate emergency and help to deliver the wider benefits of clean energy as the UK transitions to net zero. We empower householders to make better choices, deliver transformative programmes for governments and support businesses with strategy, research and assurance – enabling everyone to play their part in building a sustainable future.
As part of this mission, we have produced a series of policy proposals ahead of the Senedd elections in Wales to inform the thinking of political parties and other stakeholders. These cover different aspects of the challenges related to decarbonising homes, transport and energy.
Read Energy Saving Trust’s Green Recovery Policy Proposals ahead of the 2021 Senedd Election.
[1] https://www.globalwitness.org/en/press-releases/yougov-poll-finds-majority-british-public-want-uk-lead-world-tackling-climate-change/
[2] See Table 2.1 of Climate Change Committee’s ‘Progress Report: Reducing emissions in Wales’: https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Progress-Report-Reducing-emissions-in-Wales.pdf