Care about the environment?
Want to know which of the Welsh parties manifestos is best placed to cut carbon emissions and tackle global warming?
If enacted, some of these manifestos will probably make the problem worse...
Let's take a look:
[Thread]
Want to know which of the Welsh parties manifestos is best placed to cut carbon emissions and tackle global warming?
If enacted, some of these manifestos will probably make the problem worse...
Let's take a look:
[Thread]
To do this @WalesOnline teamed up with @matjhope from the environmental investigations website @DeSmogUK.
I should stress, these conclusions look at the manifestos only and not their wider comments on climate change or other issues.
I should stress, these conclusions look at the manifestos only and not their wider comments on climate change or other issues.
We asked Mat to put the manifestos into tiers based on how green they are.
Top tier:
Greens, Plaid Cymru
2nd tier:
Labour, Lib Dems
3rd tier:
Conservatives
4th tier:
Reform
5th tier:
UKIP, Propel
Who knows?:
Abolish (don’t appear to have any policies beyond their name)
Top tier:
Greens, Plaid Cymru
2nd tier:
Labour, Lib Dems
3rd tier:
Conservatives
4th tier:
Reform
5th tier:
UKIP, Propel
Who knows?:
Abolish (don’t appear to have any policies beyond their name)
We have picked out the key climate change elements of each manifesto as well as listing how many times they mention the word “climate”.
So what does each party say?
So what does each party say?
- Labour -
Welsh Labour’s manifesto is pretty strong on the environment. There is some support for roads and aviation but there are some standout pledges.
Welsh Labour’s manifesto is pretty strong on the environment. There is some support for roads and aviation but there are some standout pledges.
The main lines are:
- A whole chapter on greening Wales.
- Say they will “uphold our policy of opposing the extraction of fossil fuels in Wales, both on land and in Welsh waters, using the powers available to us." This is a contrast to in 🏴 where they're not promising this.
- A whole chapter on greening Wales.
- Say they will “uphold our policy of opposing the extraction of fossil fuels in Wales, both on land and in Welsh waters, using the powers available to us." This is a contrast to in 🏴 where they're not promising this.
- A big tree planting pledge.
- Keen on low carbon public transport, though still says some investment in roads and Cardiff airport.
- Support communities to create 30 new woodlands and connect habitat areas.
- Mentions climate 11 times.
- Keen on low carbon public transport, though still says some investment in roads and Cardiff airport.
- Support communities to create 30 new woodlands and connect habitat areas.
- Mentions climate 11 times.
- Conservatives -
The Tories manifesto focuses far less on the environment and contains pledges to support industries and building initiatives that will have an adverse effect on the climate.
The Tories manifesto focuses far less on the environment and contains pledges to support industries and building initiatives that will have an adverse effect on the climate.
It also pledges to end over reliance on wind energy and to seek the devolution of Air Passenger Duty, presumably to cut it, which would be likely to increase highly-polluting air travel.
Some of the key points are:
- Makes great fanfare about an increase in road building which will inevitably lead to an increase in emissions.
- There is a lot of support for the steel industry (which is to be applauded) but without any commitment to making it more green.
- Makes great fanfare about an increase in road building which will inevitably lead to an increase in emissions.
- There is a lot of support for the steel industry (which is to be applauded) but without any commitment to making it more green.
- The party says it will end the “over-reliance” on wind energy. This is very strange from a climate perspective given how cheap it is.
- Say they want devolved powers to determine where fracking takes place (presumably to approve). This will only add to carbon emissions..
- Say they want devolved powers to determine where fracking takes place (presumably to approve). This will only add to carbon emissions..
- No commitment to plant trees.
- Mentions 'climate' 1 time
- Mentions 'climate' 1 time
- Plaid Cymru -
The Plaid Cymru manifesto goes big on the environment. There are big decarbonisation and Nature Act promises. The plan is very detailed, very broad and deep.
This includes:
- It is notable it has a whole chapter on the “climate emergency.
The Plaid Cymru manifesto goes big on the environment. There are big decarbonisation and Nature Act promises. The plan is very detailed, very broad and deep.
This includes:
- It is notable it has a whole chapter on the “climate emergency.
- It is also notable it calls this a climate AND nature emergency which suggests a broad green agenda.
- There is an ambitious net-zero target for 2035 as it is a target of 100% renewables by that time target. They say this will be achieved through a nationalised energy company.
- There is an ambitious net-zero target for 2035 as it is a target of 100% renewables by that time target. They say this will be achieved through a nationalised energy company.
- Local council pension schemes to divest from fossil fuels.
- A 'before 2030' ban on petrol and diesel cars.
- Aims for increase in wind alongside tidal.
- Promises 300k hectare increase in woodland (compared to Labour's 30 new woodlands).
- A 'before 2030' ban on petrol and diesel cars.
- Aims for increase in wind alongside tidal.
- Promises 300k hectare increase in woodland (compared to Labour's 30 new woodlands).
- The Nature Act promise is much more detailed and broad than others' plans for the environment.
- Supports farming but with a focus on decarbonising the industry
- Emphasis on public transport and ending use of private car and rail instead of the M4 relief road.
- Supports farming but with a focus on decarbonising the industry
- Emphasis on public transport and ending use of private car and rail instead of the M4 relief road.
Plaid's manifesto also mentions climate 19 times (and across multiple chapters)
- Liberal Democrats -
The Lib Dem manifesto has some pretty big financial commitments to the crisis but is light on some of the details on how this will be achieved.
The Lib Dem manifesto has some pretty big financial commitments to the crisis but is light on some of the details on how this will be achieved.
The key points are:
- Has a chapter on “planetary recovery”.
- Pledges £1bn a year to "fight climate emergency"
- Promises broad support for wind energy manufacturing as well as some tidal development.
- Has a chapter on “planetary recovery”.
- Pledges £1bn a year to "fight climate emergency"
- Promises broad support for wind energy manufacturing as well as some tidal development.
- Promises a lot of support for farming (which is a climate negative industry) but says will make this climate-smart though this is a bit vague.
- Says will declare a Nature and Bidoversity crisis
- Supports plans for a National Forest for Wales
- Mentions climate 13 times
- Says will declare a Nature and Bidoversity crisis
- Supports plans for a National Forest for Wales
- Mentions climate 13 times
- The Greens -
This manifesto is everything you'd expect a Green manifesto to be. It is big on climate policies and decarbonisation across all sectors.
- Promise a Green New Deal
- Promises new Commissioner for Biodiversity and Animal Rights
This manifesto is everything you'd expect a Green manifesto to be. It is big on climate policies and decarbonisation across all sectors.
- Promise a Green New Deal
- Promises new Commissioner for Biodiversity and Animal Rights
- Promises more renewables of all sorts including wind, tidal and hydrogen
- Prioritises public transport and not roads
- Immediate disinvestment of Welsh local authority funds in fossil fuel
- Plans to "replace" fossil fuels with wind.
- Mentions climate 19 times
- Prioritises public transport and not roads
- Immediate disinvestment of Welsh local authority funds in fossil fuel
- Plans to "replace" fossil fuels with wind.
- Mentions climate 19 times
- Reform -
The manifesto of Reform is sceptical of the green agenda but doesn't go as far as UKIP in pedalling climate change denial.
The manifesto of Reform is sceptical of the green agenda but doesn't go as far as UKIP in pedalling climate change denial.
The lack of proposed action from Reform is unsurprising. Leader of Reform UK Wales Nathan Gill has said previously it is “ridiculous” to think humans could have an effect on the climate.
In 2015, he told the BBC climate change was being exploited by governments who have “realised this is a great way of taxing people”.
Last year, Gill said in a statement that he would vote against the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.
Last year, Gill said in a statement that he would vote against the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.
The key points are:
- Very big on road infrastructure which is high carbon.
This isn't just the M4 relief road (which could lower some local air pollution by lessening congestion), but also other road improvements and free parking.
- Very big on road infrastructure which is high carbon.
This isn't just the M4 relief road (which could lower some local air pollution by lessening congestion), but also other road improvements and free parking.
The aim of this is to get people back to the High St in the highest carbon way possible - the private car.
The manifesto makes a statement which shows their scepticism of renewable energy: "Wind turbines and solar panels will play a part, but the sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow, but the tide will always ebb and flow."
This issue with this is that tidal power is as yet an unproven and expensive at the scale needed to meet the UK's net-zero pledge. The challenge most environmentalists are focusing on is now to store the energy produced by wind and solar to overcome its fluctuations.
The reform manifesto doesn't mention "climate" at all.
- UKIP -
The UKIP manifesto contains classic climate change denial arguments.
This is unsurprising as candidate Neil Hamilton has previously posted bizarre rants about climate change where he seems to ignore some pretty basic science.
walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…
The UKIP manifesto contains classic climate change denial arguments.
This is unsurprising as candidate Neil Hamilton has previously posted bizarre rants about climate change where he seems to ignore some pretty basic science.
walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-new…
The key points are:
- Like Reform, UKIP are pretty keen on roads calling for a new motorway to Birmingham.
- Like Reform, UKIP are pretty keen on roads calling for a new motorway to Birmingham.
On energy, the party is clearly sceptical of the “green energy agenda” saying that it has punished the poorest in society by adding “green taxes” to energy prices in order to subsidise inefficient renewable energy sources
Though bills were increased to pay for things like turbines, it ignores the fact that they falling costs of wind and solar energy have made them the cheapest sources of electricity generation in nearly all major economies in the world.
The manifesto then goes into proper climate denial territory with plans to scrap the Climate Change Act, take the UK out the Paris Agreement (a Donald Trump policy).
The party justifies it with by citing current domestic emissions against huge historical emissions.
The party justifies it with by citing current domestic emissions against huge historical emissions.
- They plan to invest in small modular nuclear. This was the brainchild of, among others, former environment secretary who was sacked by then Prime Minister David Cameron for fear his view that climate change was not a serious problem might cost votes
The manifesto says the party will “explore the benefits of tidal”.
It mentions "climate" twice (both in a negative way).
It mentions "climate" twice (both in a negative way).
- Propel -
Propel doesn’t have a manifesto rather a list of 10 pledges.
In terms of climate change, the party actively wants new extraction of domestic gas (a fossil fuel) and makes this a pillar of its energy plan.
Propel doesn’t have a manifesto rather a list of 10 pledges.
In terms of climate change, the party actively wants new extraction of domestic gas (a fossil fuel) and makes this a pillar of its energy plan.
Key points are:
- The section “Energy Independence Act” calls for more new fossil fuel extraction (though they say this will lead to the formation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund to invest in renewables).
- The section “Energy Independence Act” calls for more new fossil fuel extraction (though they say this will lead to the formation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund to invest in renewables).
- There is a vague but unsupported statement that the party will “utilise Welsh universities to become a world leader in Carbon Capture and Storage technology”.
Doesn't mention “climate” at all.
Doesn't mention “climate” at all.
You can read the full breakdown here.
walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/…
walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/…
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