New assembly powers could give people and the environment the right to a healthy future

09 March 2011

Environmental rights, greenhouse gas emission reductions and warm homes are the cornerstones of Friends of the Earth Cymru's 'Manifesto for a greener Wales' [1], to be launched on Friday 11 March [2].

Gordon James, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said:

"Friends of the Earth Cymru's 'Manifesto for a greener Wales' sets out a realistic agenda for the next Assembly Government that would inspire solutions, and offer a vision of a positive future.

"An Environmental Rights Law could protect people in Port Talbot from dangerous air pollution, and communities in the Valleys from more opencast mines on their doorsteps. And it could give our best wildlife sites the protection that laws from Europe and London are currently failing to provide.

"Sustainable development is supposed to be at the centre of policy for the Assembly Government. But legally, it means no more than making it the duty of ministers to talk about it. An Environmental Rights Law would ensure that no decision made by the Assembly Government, or other public authorities in Wales, would be allowed to violate the right of people in Wales to live in a healthy environment.

"The Assembly Government led the world in committing to greenhouse gas emission reductions of 3 percent a year. But now as more countries are following our lead, the scientific evidence is showing that cuts of 9 percent are needed to avoid dangerous climate change. This needs to be the new target here in Wales, and we need the policies and action that will achieve it.

"Housing produces about a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions in Wales, and fuel poverty blights one in four households.

"New legislation should ensure minimum standards of energy efficiency in all homes. At least 400,000 homes in Wales should be refurbished to cut their carbon emissions by 60 percent over the next 10 years - reducing fuel bills, creating new local jobs, improving health and cutting carbon emissions.

"The new powers, and the coming fourth term of the National Assembly for Wales, offer a great opportunity to deliver ambitious policies that work for people and the environment - and help Wales reap the benefits of the rapidly expanding green economy."

NOTES

1. Download 'Manifesto for a greener Wales': http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefing_notes/cymru_green_manifesto_2011.pdf
2. Manifesto for a greener Wales will be launched at Friends of the Earth Cymru's 'Green Question Time', Friday 11th March at the Lord Mayor's Reception Room, Brangwyn Hall, Guildhall, Swansea SA1 4PE. Doors open 7pm, meeting starts 7.30pm.
   Answering questions from the audience will be Mark Drakeford (Candidate for Cardiff West, Labour), Jake Griffiths (Leader, Welsh Green Party), Dr Dai Lloyd AM (South Wales West, Plaid Cymru), Owen Meredith (Candidate for Caerphilly, Conservatives) and Kirsty Williams AM (Leader, Welsh Lib Dems)

For further information, please contact Friends of the Earth Cymru on 029 2022 9577