Auditors warn Welsh public sector unlikely to meet zero carbon plans despite progress

Auditors warn of limited progress

Audit Wales has criticised the pace of climate action among public sector organisations. Its report says bodies across different sectors understand the importance of decarbonisation, and notes examples of positive changes.

Costs and incentives pose barriers

Public bodies told auditors that wider financial pressures were making it difficult to invest in decarbonisation. Some organisations that had assessed the longer-term costs said they could not afford them.

The report also says there are no penalties or incentives to encourage compliance. Some bodies said that this had made it harder to judge how much priority to give carbon reduction.

A shared direction for action

The Welsh government said the 2030 ambition had encouraged action and leadership, but acknowledged further work was needed. It said it wanted to keep supporting public sector decarbonisation to cut emissions and energy bills and improve energy security.

The target was called for by the then Labour Welsh government in 2017, which said public bodies could influence emissions from buildings and transport. The shared ambition does not mean every organisation must reach net zero individually by 2030; it is intended to guide collective contributions.

Wales-wide target is 2040

The current Plaid Cymru government aims for Wales as a whole to reach net zero by 2040. That is ten years earlier than the current legally binding target for Wales and the UK.