6. 6. Statement: Energy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:42 pm on 26 September 2017.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 5:42, 26 September 2017

Well, Neil Hamilton, I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree. I did have a little bet when I was doing some prep for the statement today—you know, how long it would take you to mention the word ‘China’. So, I’m glad you didn’t disappoint me. But the scientific evidence is clear: climate change is happening, and greenhouse gas emissions from man are extremely likely to be the dominant cause. We have to take action now. The longer we leave it, the more expensive it becomes, on so many levels. It just poses such a great risk to everything—to economic development, to global food security, to health, and, frankly, I’ve seen what Trump wants to do in relation to the Paris agreement. I was out in Marrakech last year at COP22; I look forward to going to COP23. And you really are in the minority. I accept that we are poles apart on this, but we have renewable energy here in Wales, and it’s absolutely vital that, to achieve our decarbonisation targets, we embrace it.

Offshore wind: we continue to support offshore wind. It remains one of the most developed and commercially viable technologies currently available, and I do believe that it can really significantly contribute to our renewable energy targets, and I think you referred to the contracts for difference option results, and that really confirmed that this industry is now very, very competitive, and I’m going to be working closely with the Crown estate, with any potential developers, to ensure those developments progress within the environmental limits.

Talking about the contracts for difference, as I said, I really do want the UK Government—and I’ve called on the UK Government repeatedly in correspondence—to stop the ideological exclusion of onshore wind and solar from the CFD process. I really wish that they would consider our views and the impact of the decisions they’re taking on Wales when they are making these decisions on contracts for difference.

I really don’t know where you think we’re going to get our energy from. We have to move away from fossil fuel. I mentioned the UK Government has announced they want to get rid of abatement for coal by 2025. We have to look at new technologies, and there will be several consultations going forward. The national marine plan is very important. I think it was David Melding that mentioned that before, and I will be getting on very quickly—certainly, within the next month, I hope to be going out to consultation on the national marine plan also.