The introduction of a Climate Change Commission was an objective that was set out in the One Wales policy programme. The Commission is an advisory group to the Welsh Assembly Government which will report to the Cabinet via the Minister Jane Davidson and so can be thought of as a body working in partnership with Welsh Assembly Government.

The commission is intended to provide leadership and support action on climate change in Wales. It will advise the Welsh Assembly Government on reducing carbon emissions on an annual basis by 3% per year in areas of devolved competence under their remit. There will be four working groups of which WWF has a seat on all four and will be lobbying hard to ensure that the rapid down turn in emissions that is required is effective and is achieved according to the principles of sustainable development – 'development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'

Today some of Britain's most eminent climate and environmental scientists have added their voices to the growing calls for emission cuts based on the latest science - that means cuts of at least 80% by 2050. It is unclear yet whether the 3% target that has been set by the Welsh Assembly Government will be on course to achieve an 80% cut in carbon emissions by 2050. This is even less certain given the start date of the programme of emissions reductions is as late as 2011. WAG is to be commended in its ambition to set a target, but it is the objective of the target that is critical. The world must stabilize carbon emissions at the level necessary to stop the rise in global temperatures exceeding 2 degrees. The longer Governments wait to act, the more we will need to reduce our emissions by annually in order to prevent this.

We will keep you posted…..