4. What is the Commission doing to fulfil its obligations to tackling the climate emergency? OAQ54523

Since its formation, the Commission has sought to reduce its environmental impact. Our environmental strategy has resulted in carbon emissions reducing by 42 per cent since 2012, building on our previous achievement of a 30 per cent reduction. We have minimised single-use plastic cups and cutlery, replacing them with biodegradable alternatives, and food containers where currently possible.

As part of our new set of performance indicators, we've introduced a stretch target to reduce business-related car travel. Having achieved our current targets for carbon emissions and waste to landfill, we are working in collaboration with other UK Parliaments to develop a new set of annual environmental targets, always being mindful of the Welsh Government's 2030 target date for carbon neutrality in the public sector.

If we are to lead the way in tackling the climate emergency, we must set an example for other public bodies and businesses to follow. Now, while this Senedd building has been named the greenest Government in the UK, the Tŷ Hywel building doesn't fare so well. It has an energy rating of E. While improvements to energy efficiency have been made on the estate in recent years, what more can be done, for example, to heating, to lighting, food, et cetera, to improve this rating to ensure that in a climate emergency our working environment provides a good example for other people to follow?

Well, can I say the Assembly Commission has signed a memorandum of understanding to join the proposed Cardiff district heating scheme to invest in our estate—? Sorry, this will remove a significant proportion of our carbon footprint from the otherwise hard-to-tackle activity of heating on the estate.

Thank you.