Green groups concern over zero carbon ambition

WWF Cymru said it was ‘unclear’ whether the Welsh Government would look to match England’s target of building zero-carbon homes by 2016 due to housing minister Carl Sargeant reducing the carbon emissions target for new homes from 40 per cent to 8 per cent.

Friends of the Earth said Wales would be ‘bringing up the rear’ due to its lack of a commitment to build zero-carbon homes.

When he scaled back the target last month, Mr Sargeant said it would have been too financially challenging on developers to ask for 40 per cent and he stressed the 8 per cent target wouldn’t thwart the aim, and EU obligation, of building zero carbon homes by 2021.

But green groups are calling for clarity on how the Welsh Government plan to achieve this target with WWF Cymru asking Mr Sargeant to ‘spell it out’.

WWF Cymru’s policy officer Alun James said: ‘The announcement by Welsh Housing Minister Carl Sargeant that the Welsh Government is watering down plans for better insulated, more energy-efficient new homes, is bad news for householders and for the environment.

‘We are now concerned about the lack of clarity on standards from 2016 and would urge the minister, as a minimum, to commit to matching the English policy of zero-carbon new homes from that date.

‘That would, at least, show that Welsh Government is still committed to tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development in one of the key areas fully within its control.’

The calls come on the back of the UK government announcement last week that there will be a 6 per cent cut in carbon emissions for new-build homes, and a 9 per cent cut for non-domestic buildings.

Friends of the Earth Cymru director Gareth Clubb, said: ‘This shows that the Welsh Government’s total lack of ambition on energy efficiency standards is surpassed only by the UK government.

‘But at least the UK government’s lacklustre desire for change was apparent in last year’s consultation. The Welsh Government has taken the unusual step of plumping for a figure with no relation to its proposals, which begs the question: what is the purpose of consultation?

‘Furthermore, whereas in England all new homes will be zero carbon from 2016, we in Wales will be left bringing up the rear yet again, with poorer quality housing that will lock-in tenants and residents to higher fuel bills for decades to come.’

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: ‘We received a range of comments during our consultation about a 40 per cent reduction in CO2 from new homes in one step and concluded that such a steep change would have a negative impact on housebuilding, employment and the economic position of Wales.

‘In moving to an 8 per cent reduction, we looked for a sensible step between the current Part L requirement and the 40 per cent consultation option and evidence indicated that an 8 per cent reduction was as far as we could go using without relying on cost-ineffective levels of renewable technologies.

‘We remain committed to achieving zero-carbon buildings and believe the 40 per cent option remains a practical future step. We intend to review Part L again in 2016 to consider future changes.’