Written question WQ86176

The Welsh Government is working with the public sector to help support their decarbonisation plans to meet the 2030 ambition. This includes support to assess the financial implications.

This year 97% of public sector organisations voluntarily submitted their emissions reports. This demonstrates their commitment to their own actions and those of the public sector as a whole. The data will help them understand where emissions need to be addressed and then assess the associated financial costs

Both the Public Sector Routemap and A Net Zero Wales make clear the requirement for organisations by 2023 to develop their action plans, upon which they can then better assess the financial implications of decarbonising.

Officials in Health and Local Government have already established effective sector specific programmes to support the plan development and collective vision, through leadership, advice and financial assistance. These programmes are also providing active scrutiny, assurance and support to ensure the largest emitters in the public sector continue to review and update their climate change plans and take steps to better understand the financial implications.

The Welsh Government Energy Service provides organisations with advisory and technical services to implement low carbon technologies and projects. This support includes an assessment of the costs, savings and/or revenue streams for all projects supported. As part of this support, we are also providing £18.5m of zero interest loans per annum, through the Wales Funding Programme and Invest to Save.

Whilst there are increasing budgetary pressures, for example from the consequences of Covid, the impacts of increased trade friction and the cost-of-living crisis, we continue to place importance on decarbonisation investment to enable the Welsh Government and public sector to progress our collective ambition. The current rapidly changing economic landscape means cost and benefits are more challenging to accurately assess or predict. However, we will continue to learn and work with the public sector to help them understand the financial implications.