The following amendments have been selected: amendment 1 in the name of Lesley Griffiths, and amendment 2 in the name of Siân Gwenllian. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected.

I move on now to item 7, the Welsh Conservatives debate on a green recovery. I call on Janet Finch-Saunders to move the motion. 

Motion NDM7815 Darren Millar

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Welsh Government’s intention to promote a green recovery during the sixth Welsh Parliamentary term.

2. Further notes the UK Government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution.

3. Welcomes the appointment of a Minister and Deputy Minister for Climate Change.

4. In order to help a green recovery, calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the UK Government and set out a plan to deliver thousands of green collar jobs for a greener economy;

b) urgently bring forward key pledges such as a clean air Bill, banning of single use plastics for non-medical use, and a deposit-return scheme;

c) create an independent office for environmental protection and climate change for Wales, which will hold the Welsh Government and public bodies to account in tackling climate change;

d) provide further investment into marine and offshore wind energy; and

e) update existing legislation and planning rules to set long-term targets and milestones for nature recovery as well as mandating biodiversity net gains on new development

Motion moved.

Diolch, acting Llywydd. With COP26, the United Kingdom is cementing its position as a world leader in instituting public policy as a means to confront the climate and nature emergencies. We know that the world needs to halve emissions over the next decade, and reach net-zero carbon emissions by the middle of the century, if we are to limit predicted global temperature rises by 1.5 degrees. In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to legislate a binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. With a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, the United Kingdom Government has laid out plans for how this can be achieved in tandem with economic growth. This plan will look to produce enough offshore wind to power every home, supporting up to 60,000 jobs. It will invest in carbon capture technology, with a target to remove 10 megaton of carbon dioxide by 2030; deliver cleaner nuclear energy, supporting 10,000 jobs; and install 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028. And this strong leadership is really paying dividends.

Heading into COP26, approximately 70 per cent of the world economy is now covered by net-zero targets, up from less than 30 per cent when the UK took on the actual presidency of this conference. The Welsh Government, despite their proclamations to the contrary, is taking note. However, as a devolved nation, it is now incumbent for this Government to get behind the aims and ambitions on decarbonisation and supercharge clean energy production. That is why I am very proud to be moving today's motion for debate, so that we can refocus efforts, here in Wales, especially as last week's carbon budget 2 did unveil some weaknesses in the Welsh Government's approach to confronting the defining issue of our time. Indeed, whilst locally owned energy developments to secure an economic return for Wales was highlighted, in reality, you have taken a large step backwards by slashing business rate relief for privately owned hydro schemes. We should be empowering our land custodians and our farmers to assist with our green recovery. So, why, then, was there no statement by the Minister for rural affairs this week?

There is a clear need for the Welsh Government to establish an all-Wales marine energy investment fund to purchase equity in marine energy projects, including small-scale hydro, to produce renewable energy. Five months on from the closure of the consultation on a deposit return scheme, I note that the Welsh Government is still reviewing responses received, and that we still remain at the consultation stage for banning just nine single-use plastic items.

For the first time in living memory, I can honestly say I agree with a Labour MP. Fair play to Fleur Anderson for catching up with the Welsh Conservatives and our calls for action on wet wipes, especially the ones that contain plastic. As well as littering our river beds, Welsh Water say they deal with around 2,000 sewer blockages every month in Wales. The major causes of which are cotton buds and wipes that contain plastic. So, I hope that the Welsh Government will listen not just to us on these benches, but to their own Labour MPs, and act, here in Wales. 

A kerbside deposit-return scheme, which took place in Conwy between June and July, saw a 97 per cent participation. So, this actually shows and evidences the public appetite for action. And I cannot ignore the First Minister's personal leadership pledge for him to deliver a clean air Act in the fifth Senedd. So, here we are now in the sixth Senedd, and Members are still asking and calling out for this legislation to be laid.

As our motion makes clear, to assist in our green recovery, we need to review planning rules and update existing legislation. Evidence from RTPI Cymru made clear that total expenditure on planning services has fallen by 50 per cent in Wales since 2009. This is really having an impact, especially on specialist areas of planning conditions, such as sustainable drainage—I'm sure my councillors know what SuDS are—but this is now proving a mitigating disaster for some local authorities, given the emphasis placed on them by this Government.

Due planning consideration must also be given to assisting a green transport network. At 1,002 charging points, Wales has just 3.8 per cent of the UK’s total charging points. Just this week, I've spoken to our taxi operators, who are now asking whether there will be any Welsh Government support for them towards an electric or zero-emission vehicle. This Welsh Government has set a target that all buses, as well as taxis and private hire vehicles, should be zero emission by 2028. Whilst I am aware that £50 million has been set aside by the UK Government to support this transition, if the Welsh Government is to meet its targets and safeguard jobs, then stakeholders have made clear to our Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee that action on funding must be taken, and taken now. To recognise the skills required to drive forward the green agenda, actions should be taken again—now—by this Welsh Government to upskill the Welsh workforce by implementing the Welsh Conservatives' pledge to deliver 150,000 new apprenticeships, thereby heeding the advice of ColegauCymru to diversify the green workforce.

We are also very keen to see a push made to generate new marine jobs, as the potential is untapped. The Welsh marine plan area consists of around 32,000 km of sea, but Wales has only 20,779 km of land, and I recognise and applaud my colleague Joyce Watson, because Joyce was on the CCEI committee before I was, and you have rightly championed this too, and the potential for jobs and action to come through the establishment of research projects such as planting seagrass meadows, which are known to actually capture carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests. So, as many people use the phrase now, it's a no-brainer.

This brings me onto the need legally for binding biodiversity targets implemented in the here and now, including placing the 30x30 initiative on a statutory footing.

The RSPB, Marine Conservation Society and other organisations have all given their time as witnesses to our committee to make clear the need for action before the conclusion of the phase 2 Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 talks in 2022. The Climate Change Risk Assessment 3 report from the UK Climate Change Committee made clear that there is a compelling need for enhanced monitoring and surveillance. This Senedd and its Members need clarification on what steps you are taking to increase data monitoring on things like soil health and resilience and its impact on biodiversity, its species and their habitats. And with money invested into this work, what long-term conservation jobs are going to be generated as a result?

Deputy Llywydd, as today’s debate will make clear, there is cross-party momentum for action on clean air, single-use plastics, biodiversity, conservation and many other things. So, why are we even waiting any longer? Why is there this dither and dawdle by the Minister and this Welsh Government? I'm afraid the world, our society and this climate cannot afford to gift this Welsh Government and the First Minister any more time on this. It's time for no more hot air: let's get on, and let's have some action, please. Thank you. Diolch.

I have selected the two amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected. I call on the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, to formally move—not remove—to formally move amendment 1, tabled in the name of Lesley Griffiths.

Amendment 1—Lesley Griffiths

Delete point 4 and add new points:

Regrets the year-on-year fall in cash terms of capital funding available as a result of the failure of the UK Government’s spending review to address the urgency of the climate and nature emergency, reducing the Welsh Government capital budget by 11 per cent in real terms by 2024-25 compared to this year.

Calls on the Welsh Government:

a) to produce a net zero skills action plan that promotes fair work in support of a just transition;

b) to bring forward a clean air Bill to establish an air quality target setting framework, which will take account of World Health Organisation guidelines;

c) to establish an environmental oversight body for Wales and introduce statutory targets to address the nature crisis in Wales;

Calls on the UK Government:

a) to recognise Wales’s ambition to ban single-use plastics by making regulations excluding them from the scope of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020;

b) to amend the Coal Industry Act 1994 to enable the implementation of Welsh Government policy to avoid the extraction of fossil fuels;

c) to replace, in full, funding previously received from the European Union to enable investment in the development of the marine energy industry in Wales;

d) to support rail electrification of the entire North Wales mainline and South Wales mainline as a significant step towards a net zero public transport system.

Amendment 1 moved.

Formally.

I call on Delyth Jewell to move amendment 2, tabled in the name of Siân Gwenllian.

Amendment 2—Siân Gwenllian

Add as new sub-points at end of point 4:

develop and implement a marine development plan to provide certainty to energy developers by guiding the siting of renewable developments away from the most ecologically sensitive areas;

maximise Wales’s potential for renewable energy and economic development by seeking the full devolution of the management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales to the Welsh Government, alongside the full devolution of energy powers;

invest in decarbonisation research, particularly for key industrial sectors such as steel, to position Wales as a world leader in emerging Welsh strengths such as hydrogen and marine energy;

urgently introduce legally binding nature recovery targets for Welsh habitats and species, with the core aims of reversing biodiversity decline by 2030 and seeing substantive biodiversity recovery by 2050;

invest heavily in nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity decline, in both terrestrial and marine environments.

Amendment 2 moved.

Diolch, Gadeirydd. I move the Plaid Cymru amendment. This is certainly a timely debate. COP26 is a moment when humanity will either redeem itself or carry on condoning waste and destruction, a moment when we are poised on a precipice to allow the future to be or not to be—that really is what's at stake in Glasgow.

I'm glad that we're talking about recovery—it is an apt word, because to recover means to regain possession of something that was lost or stolen. When we talk about the environment, about tackling climate emergency, restoring biodiversity, yes, we're talking about regaining ground, trying to put right the wrongs of previous decades, the coal and ash and pollution that have choked our children. But we are also trying to regain ground for the future, to repossess a chance for generations that are yet to come. That sense of protecting space, of preserving something already stolen from the future that we can snatch back from the brink, that is what recovery should be about too.

There is much in this motion that we agree with. Our amendment seeks to push it further, to call on the Welsh Government to implement a marine development plan, to provide certainty to energy developers and ensure that renewable developments aren't sited in areas that are ecologically sensitive. That is, to ensure that the climate and nature emergencies aren't at odds with one another. 

We call for investment in decarbonisation research, especially in key sectors like steel, to make sure that communities and workforces aren't left behind by this recovery, but are empowered by it—that the Welsh workforce can lead a second revolution of industry, but this time, green industry, in hydrogen and marine energy. We call for legally binding nature recovery targets so that our habitats and species are again recovered, to ensure that we don't see yet more species stolen away and disappearing from our shores and our landscapes.

Cadeirydd, we call for the devolution of the Crown Estate, to ensure that the millions of pounds of profits generated from our own natural resources are governed by the Government of Wales, and don't get locked away by the Treasury. I know that the First Minister has signalled his openness to this idea.

That conference of the parties, COP, that meeting of minds and mindsets in Glasgow, it sets the frame for everything that we talk about today, because the decisions made there about targets and time frames will determine how much space there is for recovery, how much pressure will be on government, how much time there is for hope before despair. The space, the gap between what needs to happen and what realpolitik considers palatable and reluctantly allows to be borne, could be substantial. The gap between 1.5 degrees celsius and 2 degrees, or 2.7 degrees—those are the limits that encase a catastrophe. The gap between 2035 and 2050, those dates seemingly so far in the future—that gap will close and choke us before we've had time to draw breath. The recovery we talk about has to be put into action, and urgently, because so much could still yet be lost.

We are in a state, Cadeirydd, where vying, various and competing emergencies are happening simultaneously—climate, nature, poverty, inequality. They are all man-made and man-fuelled disasters. We cannot let them consume us. The recovery from COVID, from climate emergency, must be just. Communities that have suffered with flooding and fears over coal tips must have investment and defences. Poorer families struggling with rising heating bills must be supported with those bills, and with insulation. Communities who have historically had the least amplified voice must be listened to, and workforces must be allowed an opportunity to gain new skills, to be part of the new and exciting green industries. This recovery must belong to the people of Wales and be driven by them. That space can yet be saved. There is still time. 

I'm not going to rehash many of the points that have already been made about the sheer scale of the crisis that's facing us. My constituents are already living with the consequences of excessive carbon emissions—1-in-100 or even 1-in-1,000-year floods now happen every few years. Extreme weather events are now not so rare; they have become almost an annual event. The residents of Trefnant and Tremeirchion in the Vale of Clwyd are faced with years of disruption after one such event. Storm Christoph destroyed the historic Llanerch bridge. The flood waters only took a few days to recede, but their effects will be felt for much longer, and I sincerely hope that COP26 delivers actions rather than platitudes, because, unless urgent action is taken, the future for my constituents will be bleak indeed.

Many of the main population centres in my constituency will be underwater in a few short decades unless we can halt the rise in global temperatures. Even today, the Vale of Clwyd has more properties at risk of flooding than Newport, Cardiff and Swansea combined. Yet, despite all the talk of a climate emergency, we are not seeing the sort of actions needed to tackle the pending climate disaster. We are all encouraged to do our bit, as indeed we should, but our bit shouldn't mean that we have to abandon our way of life. Some of the most extreme positions on climate action would take us back to the dark ages—no cars, no meat, no overseas holidays or long-distance travel and no imports—but we don't have to change our way of life, just make changes to our way of life. Technology can help us either totally eliminate carbon dioxide emissions or ensure that such emissions don't harm our fragile ecosystem. Yes, the industrial revolution led us to this point, but without the industrial revolution we wouldn't be enjoying the benefits, such as modern medicine.

Back in pre-industrial times, half of us in this Chamber would be lucky to be alive. What we need isn't a reset, it's a new revolution, a green industrial revolution. We need to be investing heavily in green power and green transport, in green steel and green hydrogen. Research and development is the answer, not retreat and devolve. We need to invest in developing new energy storage technology such as solid-state batteries, and an interesting fact is that, last night, we generated more electricity from coal than we did from wind. So, wind and solar aren't constant sources, so unless we try and store excess generation, we are doomed to relying on fossil fuels, because the left have demonised nuclear power. This morning, 58 per cent of the UK's energy came from gas turbines, 16 per cent came from nuclear—currently the only constant non-carbon-emitting energy generation—only 6 per cent came from wind. And decarbonising our lives should not mean changing our lifestyles, but requires Governments working hand in hand with academia and private enterprises to deliver this change. Wales needs its green industrial revolution in order to save our planet and save our way of life. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

The Welsh Labour Government has consistently led the way in tackling climate change. It was the first to declare a climate emergency and it has led the way to our nation being the third best in the world at recycling, and committed to protecting biodiversity, and raised awareness of the nature emergency along with the climate emergency. This dedication to making real change has been seen through multiple pieces of landmark legislation to protect our local and global environment, such as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and successive environment Acts. 

We know, however, that Wales can't stand alone. Inter-governmental co-operation will, of course, be necessary to tackle climate change, but we should be extremely cautious when looking to work with the Conservative UK Government. The Tory 10-point plan does little to make a real difference and focuses instead on the continuation of profiteering from our resources in a more efficient way. The plan also fails to focus on the international co-operative greed that has allowed and promoted things like mass consumerism, plastic waste and the inevitable catastrophe facing us. The proposed additional spend of £4 billion is nowhere near what is required to make a real impact on the climate emergency. The UK Government also continues to sell short my region, failing to invest in rail electrification of the entire north Wales main line, a key step backwards towards a net-zero public transport system.

We need to encourage people to continue to recycle in Wales, and not listen to the Prime Minister, which could have set us back years, and all the work of Welsh Government and Welsh local authorities would have been just totally set back. Kerbside sorted, clean, recycled product is a valued commodity, and the truth of the matter is that, in England, recycling rates are as low as 45 per cent because of co-mingling, which leads to a contaminated product that cannot be recycled.

Deposit-return schemes may work when linked to the producer, but should not replace kerbside-sorted recycling, and can otherwise add extra processes, as seen with the pilot in Conwy. Recycling is not a solution, either, for consumerism. It is always best to reduce, reuse and then recycle. We need to move forward with producer responsibility legislation across all UK nations and work to reduce the use of single-use plastic. Acting Llywydd, it is action, not words, that matter, and whilst the Conservative Party in Government continues to approve climate-wrecking oil and coal projects and cut taxes, which directly promotes the use of frivolous domestic flights, while moving income from our public transport infrastructure, I do not believe we can take their idea of a green recovery seriously. 

Wales should not be held back by Ministers in England when it comes to our climate emergency and our future. It is the Labour Party who has always taken a green new deal seriously, and the Labour Government who will deliver a sustainable future for Wales. I'm sure that Welsh Government will welcome plans by a college in my constituency, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, on their Rhyl campus, to build a centre for engineering excellence that will train students in the technical skills for the renewable energy industry, and especially the windfarms off the coast of north Wales. It has the potential to become a national centre for the industry, training people from across the country, including in England. It will upskill our local workforce and will be a real boost to the economy of the region, whilst promoting our efforts to become carbon neutral. It is opportunities like these in Rhyl that we must take seriously if we are going to have a green recovery that benefits the people of Wales, as well as protects our environment, and mitigates the climate crisis we face. Diolch.

I now call on Luke Fletcher.

Thank you, acting Presiding Officer, and thank you to the Conservatives for tabling this motion today.

I suppose I want to start my contribution through airing my own frustrations with how we talk about the climate emergency and the green economy. I have to say, we've had countless debates on the environment and green economy in this Senedd term alone, and I don't even think—God knows how many debates there have been globally on the environment, and I really do hope COP delivers. But I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the suggestion made by Gareth Davies in his contribution that we can tinker around the edges, that we don't have to make these massive lifestyle changes. We've been tinkering around the edges for decades, and nothing has changed. The reality is that we need systemic change, because I find it hard to see how the current system we live in can cope with the task ahead. Society as it stands, for example, puts the individual rather than the collective on a pedestal. We see that with how we idolise billionaires, how, during COP, people have swooned at the thought that these billionaires are putting their hands in their pockets and throwing us a few billion. Now, I'm trying not to be flippant here, because it's definitely £1 billion more than I will ever be able to contribute myself, but, for some of the world's most wealthy people, a couple of billion is a drop in the ocean, especially when some of these billionaires have the equivalent wealth of some eastern European countries. At what point—? And this is a serious question. At what point, when we face a—

Can I make an intervention?

Of course. Go for it, Janet.

I see where you're coming from, but, with all due respect to these billionaires, have you ever worked out how many jobs they provide? How many people feed off the food chain from billionaires? It isn't quite as simple as, 'Oh, these rich billionaires.' Anybody knows, if you actually look into it, that these billionaires, as you keep describing them as—. Have a look at how many jobs they actually provide.

Well, I'll throw it back to you, Janet—and thanks for the intervention as well—have you ever looked at how many workers have suffered poor working conditions to make those billionaires their billions? That's the reality here. There's a lot of paying back that needs to happen, I think, right. And at what point, when we face a disaster that threatens to wipe out humanity, when we see so much poverty, when we know climate refugees are a reality—at what point do we as a society turn around and say that hoarding that amount of wealth is immoral? We must shift our culture as a society now to put the collective ahead of the individual, otherwise, it's quite simply game over.

In terms of the debate before us today and in the context of the Welsh economy, a green recovery is especially important in the context of the climate emergency. We must ensure that this period of transitioning our economy is a just one. One in five Welsh workers are in climate-critical sectors. Those who will be hit by the shift to net zero must not left be—must not left, must not left—must not be left behind—I'm skipping over my own words now—and must be found a place, of course, in this new, greener economy. Reskilling workers in high-carbon industries to the industries of the future must happen now and we must seize powers and the powers we need to deliver a green recovery for Wales. The Trade Union Congress has suggested that 60,000 green jobs could be created in Wales if we invest properly, however, in a Construction Industry Training Board survey, more than 78 per cent of employers that responded believed that there is a shortage of skills in their specific occupation to decarbonise. That means that there is a need for clear skills, training and jobs strategies to achieve net-zero targets. To realise our green ambitions and to truly deliver a green economic recovery, we need to invest in the green workforce to deliver for climate and nature. We need to upskill our energy workforce, our housing workforce, our transport workforce and beyond to deliver green jobs for green outcomes.

Acting Presiding Officer, I want to re-emphasise the fact that measures tackling the climate emergency also have to tackle poverty. Unless everyone has the same means to make the necessary changes, we will never make progress, and this is linked to my point at the beginning of my contribution about ensuring that society now changes its culture to one that emphasises benefit to communities.

I've mentioned a number of examples in the past as to why people who live in poverty can't make changes in a green context, but another area I haven't mentioned is electricity. Customers are certainly facing additional costs in trying to be more eco-friendly. For example, if you go to MoneySavingExpert.com to find a renewable energy tariff, there is only one supplier, Green Energy (UK), available. The cost will be almost £500 per annum more than the cap on standard tariffs over the next 12 months. Further to that, according to the Express, shoppers who try to change to green options for everyday home products can spend up to an additional £2,000 per annum, ultimately. Although the option of providing subsidies for green options and green energy can help, this only scratches the surface, and that's why it's crucially important that we deal with poverty at the very outset.

To close, Llywydd dros dro, Delyth Jewell has touched many times in the past on climate anxiety. I definitely find it hard to shake the feeling of impending doom when it comes to the state of the planet, and increasingly find it difficult to be hopeful for the future. Both my fiancé and I—and I hope that she doesn't mind me saying this, but I guess I'll find out tonight—both my fiancé and I have had countless conversations about having children. Now, what sort of world are they going to grow up in? Do we think it's right to bring life into a potentially dying world? These are the sorts of conversations that are happening across the globe right now. The pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to change the way our economy works, and, given the climate emergency, our recovery must be green; the scale of the challenge demands it. But all of us must be prepared to sacrifice and put ideology aside and realise that, now more than ever, we need radical collective action.

Once again, I need to declare an interest as a councillor, because I will be reflecting on Monmouthshire County Council, but I would first like to thank my colleague Janet Finch-Saunders for bringing forward this timely debate.

Climate change is already having an impact on the world; we all know that and we see that. Back in August, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that scientists were observing changes in the Earth's climate in every region, with natural disasters becoming more frequent and hitting communities harder. Put simply, it's not a question of if we need to act or when we need to act, because the time is now.

Speaking ahead of the opening of COP26 a few days ago, Her Majesty the Queen, that lady who was in this Chamber only a few weeks ago, said that Governments need to

'rise above the politics of the moment' and to act for the 'children and our children's children'. We saw that in our previous debate, but, sadly, we didn't see that, necessarily, earlier today in this Chamber. I am disappointed that the Welsh Government amendment attacks the UK Government in a blatant political stunt, rather than engaging with the Welsh Conservative motion in the constructive spirit in which it was meant.

Acting Llywydd, the pandemic has provided an opportune moment for the Welsh Government to build back greener and fairer, and to level up communities that have been hit hard by the economic uncertainty of the past 18 months. I think it's important that we see the economic recovery and creating a greener society as two sides of the same coin, rather than as separate things.

It is with this in mind that our motion lists a number of practical steps that the Government can take in this Senedd term. This includes further investment into marine and offshore wind energy, utilising our world-class research and development sector as well as working with the UK Government to develop a real plan to develop highly skilled green jobs.

The motion also refers to things that previous Welsh Governments really should have already implemented, such as a clean air Act and an independent office of environmental protection. In saying this, I do recognise there has been some good progress that has been made in Wales, and in the spirit of being constructive, I would like to briefly focus on some of those. In particular, I want to use my contribution in today's debate to highlight the great work that our local communities are leading on.

In my own region, Monmouthshire County Council has led the way in planning for a cleaner, greener future since it declared a climate emergency in 2019. For example, the council published a climate emergency strategy shortly after the declaration, and it's currently in the process of updating its climate change action plan. The council's green infrastructure team works on a range of projects, such as the green connections project, partly funded by the Welsh Government.

Councils in South Wales East of all political persuasions have come together with stakeholders such as Natural Resources Wales to launch the Gwent green grid partnership. This is a new, groundbreaking project that aims to improve and develop green infrastructure, as well as create new jobs for local people. 

I know that there will be other examples across Wales of local communities, organisations and councils that are working collaboratively to take action against climate change. I really do think that there needs to be a stand-alone, accessible and long-term funding stream for councils and communities to tap into to drive these sorts of projects forward. We also need to bring together the various existing funding streams so that people are clearer on what support there is available.

I also believe that we need to look at ways to strengthen the roles of councils in delivering the green agenda, as well as laying the ground work for national projects that the UK and Welsh Governments are leading on. It is only by bringing different tiers of government together that we can deliver a true net-zero society.

My question to the Minister, as well as Members, is: what more can we do to promote local innovation and encourage more partnership working between all layers of government and society, so that we can make more of those small steps that will ultimately make a big difference to combat climate change and boost prosperity within our communities? Acting Llywydd, I encourage all here today to support this motion. Diolch yn fawr.

The world is standing at a crossroads, where countries across the world can mindlessly continue on their current path, using the world's fossil fuels at an alarming rate, destroying vast areas of natural habitat and cutting down trees to feed our desire for palm oil and avocados, importing vast amounts of goods and non-seasonal foods and continuing to litter our oceans and our natural environment with an endless sea of plastic and waste.

We can choose a brighter path, a path to a greener, more sustainable future, where we can be the guardians of our world and reverse the damage to our ecosystems and to our environment. We will all need to work together—countries, governments, businesses and people. As governments, we should be encouraging tree planting in appropriate places, encouraging 'buy local' incentives and the eating of seasonal foods. Legislation could limit the use of single-use plastics and, as parliamentarians, we have a moral obligation to do what we can, and I do welcome the Welsh Government's intention to promote a green recovery during the sixth parliamentary term.

But we must remember the people of Wales—those lives who these changes will affect—and we need to ensure that any changes are done in a sensible and sustainable way, a way that maintains livelihoods, creates jobs and does not cause harm or offload the burden of cost onto their shoulders. We must provide the infrastructure required to allow our businesses to adopt green incentives. We need to work with industries to collaborate together, particularly the agricultural sector, which is all too often demonised, when they should be recognised as a major part of the solution to our problems, providing high-quality, sustainable food production at a local level, while enhancing the ecosystems and protecting biodiversity.

We cannot use the climate as a political football. Time is running out. We on this side of the Chamber welcome the appointment of a Minister and Deputy Minister for climate change. However, this department needs to act and deliver to meet the challenges we all face, and we will be watching on this side of the Chamber. By working together across the United Kingdom, we can make a difference. The UK Government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution will change the fundamental future of our country by having a green recovery, promoting and developing more offshore wind and hydrogen power to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and to create jobs. They’ll protect the natural environment by planting 30,000 hectares of trees every year.

We in Britain have a proud history of reducing carbon emissions. Our emissions in this country fell by 44 per cent between 1990 and 2019. This should be celebrated, taught in schools, and preached from the rooftops as a global example of what this country can do when we come together. It’s all too easy for messages of doom and gloom to persist, but we must all have hope. Humanity through the ages has proven how we can be imaginative to overcome problems and obstacles. We need to empower our citizens and businesses to make the changes they need to make and find technological solutions to give us all a brighter future.

If the Government wants to be taken seriously on this issue, we generally need to tackle climate change. They must be honest with the public because they need to know the cost of net zero and the impact on their lives, because many consumers want to make better ethical and life decisions, and that’s crucial if we’re to tackle the climate crisis. The Welsh Government must act now, because actions speak louder than words, and in order to help a green recovery, we call on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government, and not continue to play party politics and blaming Westminster for all the Welsh Labour Government setbacks.

This Welsh Government must set out a plan to deliver hundreds of green-collar jobs for a green and more sustainable economy. The Welsh Government should urgently bring forward the clean air Act, ban single-use plastics for non-medical use, clean up our oceans, and practice what you preach and get Natural Resources Wales to meet their tree replanting targets, which are being missed year after year. You could be bold and provide further investment in offshore wind energy, and not litter our countryside with wind turbines and pylons, and you could also set achievable, long-term targets for nature and biodiversity recovery.

The time for action is now. The time for blaming others is over. It’s only by every country and every citizen across the globe working together will we make our world cleaner and greener. Diolch.

Well done for your timing. [Laughter.] I call on the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters.

Diolch yn fawr iawn, acting Presiding Officer. Well, I was quite moved by the words of James Evans there. At the end he told us to practice what we preach. He reminded us that we have a moral obligation to do what we can. Janet Finch-Saunders began the debate by saying that we need to confront the defining issue of our time. And tonight, I'd like to award the Conservatives with the brass neck of the year award. The staggering hypocrisy between what we have just heard from a series of Members, and the positions they take time and time again, beggars belief, acting Presiding Officer. I've just been subjected, not two hours ago, to a speech from Natasha Asghar criticising us for stopping a road scheme, which I would say is an action that speaks louder than words. And we're then subjected to this litany of hypocrisy from the Conservative benches, criticising us for the actions that we are taking.

Janet Finch-Saunders said that we needed to show action on funding the green agenda, skills, and decarbonising buses, but, acting Presiding Officer, last week in a budget when not once was the term 'climate change' mentioned, we saw our capital budget cut. At the end of this Senedd term, it'll be 11 per cent lower than it is today; £3 billion less for the Welsh economy than if the Conservatives, since they've been elected, had kept spending in line with the growth in the economy. We can't simply invest money that we do not have. The money we are currently spending on apprenticeships and building support is funded by the EU. We were told by this Government that we would not have a penny less by leaving the EU. This year, if we were still within the European Union, we'd expect £375 million, and this Conservative Government has given us a fraction of that. So, how the Conservatives expect us to fund these things they're demanding us to do whilst cutting our money I simply do not understand.

Janet Finch-Saunders again said that we're not taking action on banning single-use plastics, but since this Government has passed the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, we are not clear what powers we have to act. So, again, they're criticising us for not acting, but their own Government is taking actions that are preventing us from acting.

There was further hypocrisy, I think, from the Conservatives on fossil fuels. We've heard, at the COP in Glasgow, the Prime Minister saying that the UN needs to move away from coal, but that is the opposite of what the UK Government is doing. It's the current policy of the Government that the Coal Authority has a duty to support the continued extraction of fossil fuels. That is not what we want to do in Wales; we have a very clear policy of stopping using fossil fuels. Unless the UK Government agree to our request to cancel a licence granted in 1996 at Aberpergwm, some 40 million tonnes of coal will be extracted from this mine by 2039—100 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. We want to keep this coal in the ground, but the UK Government, because of the powers in place, threaten to sit by and watch this coal being extracted in the face of our wishes. Now, the Coal Authority have told us they are minded to agree to our request—to deconditionalise this licence, as it's called—and we have written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to intervene. So, if the Conservatives in this Chamber are really sincere about the need for action, perhaps they would support us in writing to Kwasi Kwarteng, asking him to stop this coal being extracted from Welsh soil, because we don't want it to happen, and the only reason it may happen is because of their inaction and their policies.

So, enough of this hypocrisy. We do want to collaborate with our colleagues in the other parts of the UK, and we are trying very hard. We've met throughout the summer with UK Ministers and officials, as we drew up our net-zero plan in parallel with their net-zero plan. In fact, the UK Government Minister told us they would share their plans with us in advance so that we could collaborate. Did they share them? Did they heck. We did not see their plan until midnight the day it was published. Now, how is that collaborating? It is not collaborating; it is hollow words.

We are nonetheless doing our best to work together on the deposit-return scheme, and despite Janet Finch-Saunders saying that there was no action, we intend and hope to bring regulations forward for the scheme, to implement the scheme, in the summer of 2022. Janet Finch-Saunders mentioned a scheme in Conwy—an excellent scheme. She failed to mention this was a scheme in partnership with the Welsh Government that we have funded. And I visited the technology firm Polytag in Deeside last month and saw the exceptional work they've been doing with Conwy on a digital deposit-return scheme. I think that has real potential, and I commend Conwy for their work with us and Polytag on that.

We are delivering our clean air plan, which includes the development of a clean air Bill, which will establish a more proactive regime for improving air quality that will have regard to the World Health Organization guidelines on setting targets. These have only just been published, acting Presiding Officer, and it takes time for us and our officials to assess that and build that into the scheme that we are developing. But, of course, we're not waiting for a Bill to act, we are acting now. At the beginning of the last Senedd term, Wales was spending £5 million a year on active travel schemes—schemes to get people out of cars, using clean transport for local journeys. At this point, we are spending £75 million every year on schemes. We know that 10 per cent of car journeys are under a mile, and that half of car journeys are under five miles. Many of these could be replaced through active travel. We're investing. We're not waiting for a clean air Act, we're acting now.

Our Net Zero Wales skills action plan is being developed to support workers to gain the skills they need to play a role in delivering a just transition that reduces emissions while promoting well-paid jobs. As part of our commitment towards renewable energy, we are working to establish Wales as a centre of emerging marine energy technologies, and we have set up a marine energy programme to deliver on this commitment. But, to continue to support the industry to the level I think everyone in the Senedd would want, the UK Government must replace, in full, the EU funds that, in the past, have proven so vital in the progress that we have made to date. I'm at the moment working with industry experts on a deep dive on barriers to renewable energy. I met again this morning, I met with industry earlier this week, and we're making good progress in setting out actions that we can take in the short term to move progress. 

Acting Presiding Officer, climate change affects every aspect of our lives and every corner of Wales. These are challenging times and there are difficult choices ahead of us, but there is hope, and, as Delyth Jewell said, there is still time. There are practical steps that we are taking and can take together to ensure the green recovery and our transition to a net-zero Wales is a just transition—one that leaves no-one behind, making sure the cost of change doesn't fall onto the shoulders of the worst-off in society. And our recently published Net Zero Wales plan sets out 123 policies and proposals that'll deliver, in the next five years, on our climate change targets to put us on the trajectory we need to be on to reach net zero by 2050. We all need to step up, to play our part and to lead the way for a greener, stronger Wales. But words won't do it, Dirprwy Lywydd. We have to follow through in actions, and we've heard this afternoon, I'm afraid, from the Conservatives, a complete load of hypocrisy that serves no-one.

I now call on Samuel Kurtz to reply to the debate.

Diolch yn fawr, acting Llywydd. I would like to thank all Members for their contributions this afternoon, but I am left somewhat frustrated, as is the Member for Monmouth, given the need for co-operation, partnership and teamwork in tackling change and bringing about a green economy, that, when we bring forward this motion, which looks to do all of those things with the Welsh Government for the betterment of our country, it is dismissed and replaced with yet another opportunity to bash the UK Government. Carolyn Thomas did a sterling job of doing that in her contribution this afternoon. In the few short months that I have been in this Chamber, it has been quite evident that when the Welsh Government say, 'There's no monopoly on good ideas', what they really mean is, 'We'll ignore those ideas that aren't ours.'

We are, on these benches, coming forward and looking to work to improve the situation. I'm looking through the motion in the name of Darren Millar of Clwyd West—unreasonable? No, there is nothing in here that is unreasonable. In fact, I think it is a wholly sensible motion that looks to build consensus on one of the most pressing matters of our time. So, why oh why can't we look to work together? The Deputy Minister coming out and saying 'the brass neck on us', I think, is wholly unconstructive to the type of argument and discussion we're trying to have on such an important issue this afternoon.

Thankfully, however, co-operation is already happening across Wales, and we have examples of charities, organisations, businesses and universities coming together to do what they can with innovative solutions. We've heard some examples already. Janet Finch-Saunders mentioned one earlier, and I'll draw your attention to it again. It was the restoration of seagrass and the huge environmental benefits this could bring. Sky Ocean Rescue, WWF and Swansea University are leading on Project Seagrass, with areas of the Pembrokeshire coast perfect for replanting, and some has already been completed. As much as 92 per cent of UK seagrass has been lost, but restoring these underwater meadows will not only support biodiversity, but seagrass stores carbon 30 times faster than any natural forest on the planet.

Those of you who know my constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire will know that it has a long and deeply intertwined history with the hydrocarbon industry. For a number of years, these employers have provided highly skilled and well-paid jobs in west Wales. While we know we must reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, what is absolutely critical is that we transition successfully from our fossil fuel reliance towards green renewable fuels. If we don't, and the rug is pulled from under our feet, we will have an unemployment crisis that will cause significant pain for individuals and families. As the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire rightly said, by transitioning from the old to the new sensibly, we can use those skills, those companies and those people to develop the green and renewable energies that we need.

I'm pleased that yesterday the First Minister, while up at COP, highlighted the Pembroke Dock Marine project, which will deliver the facilities, services and spaces needed to establish a world-class centre for marine engineering. While it will have cross-industry application, its immediate focus is on the low-carbon energy sector. With Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Port of Milford Haven, Marine Energy Wales and Celtic Sea Power all involved, it yet again shows the power of partnership and collaboration in promoting a green recovery.

Let initiatives like this become the game changer. Let these pioneering projects fit hand in glove with both Welsh and UK Governments, and, together, we can continue to make the progress that has seen the UK cut its emissions further and quicker than any other G7 nation. So, I disagree completely with Delyth Jewell when she says we have to right the previous wrongs; we are already doing so. Luke Fletcher is saying that nothing has changed, but fortunately, things have changed, we are improving. I must say it is a little rich for you to say, 'Let us put ideology aside' and then speak up for the abolition of capitalism. We need these businesses to help force through the changes for the improvement of everybody here in Wales and across the globe.

What is important is that this motion before the Chamber this afternoon is consensual and praises many of the actions that the Welsh Government is taking. All my colleagues on this side of the Chamber today have praised the Welsh Government and many of the impacts that they've already brought about, because we do want to achieve a greener, more environmentally friendly economy. But by this Government just deleting point 4 of our motion, there seems to be desire to bring division between the UK Government and Welsh Government, as opposed to finding common ground and routes forward.

At a time when world Governments are meeting to find achievable outcomes to tackle the climate emergency, and the First Minister is in Glasgow extolling those virtues, we should be reflecting this in our actions to demonstrate the value of our words. I urge Members to back this motion as tabled. Let's show the people of Wales that we are here together, collectively working towards making our economy greener and more sustainable. Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd.

The proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? [Objection.] Yes, there is an objection, and therefore we will defer voting until voting time.

Voting deferred until voting time.

Now we'll take a short break in preparation for voting time.

Plenary was suspended at 17:54.

The Senedd reconvened at 18:00, with the Llywydd in the Chair.