Natural Resources Minister in Lyon to share lessons for Future Generations

Carl Sargeant will today attend a World Climate Summit in Lyon, a key event in the lead-up to the United Nations conference in Paris later this year, to agree a new legally binding UN agreement on climate change.

The Minister for Natural Resources will use the opportunity to demonstrate our action and key commitment to Climate Change; examples of this being the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and the Environment Bill which put in place a legal framework to integrate the UN focus on climate change, sustainable development goals and biological diversity in all that we do.

The UN recently praised the Future Generations Act saying:

“We hope that what Wales is doing today the world will do tomorrow.”

The Minister said:

“With a challenge as serious as climate change and an opportunity as great as green growth, I believe there is a fundamental need for transparency and people should know how their government are delivering.  I am therefore delighted to report on our carbon emission targets, which demonstrate our commitment to The Compact of States and Regions as part of the international contribution from subnational governments.

“We have a strong track record of action and innovation in tackling climate change in a way which has sustainable development at its heart.  The landmark Wellbeing of Future Generations Act, and recently-introduced Environment Bill underline our commitment to tackling climate change and fully recognises our responsibility to act.

“I am delighted that Wales has become one of the founding signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Subnational Global Climate Leadership.”

The World Summit Climate and Territories is a critical milestone ahead of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris in December 2015.

The conference held in Lyon (July 1-2) is an opportunity for Wales to influence events in Paris and will provide an opportunity for us to learn and share good practice with international partners to help identify potential opportunities.

The Wellbeing of Future Generation Act places sustainable development as the central organising principle of the public sector in Wales. It sets ambitious and long-term goals for a prosperous, resilient, healthier, more equal Wales based on sustainable development principles and linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The United Nations recently praised Welsh efforts saying:

“The Wales Future Generations Act captures the spirit and essence of two decades of United Nations work in the area of sustainable development and serves as a model for other regions and countries. ‘One Wales, One Planet’ captures it all. We hope that what Wales is doing today the world will do tomorrow. Action, more than words, is the hope for our current and future generations.”