International Stage
The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016.
Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century.
The COP15 UN Biodiversity Summit in Montreal focused on conservation and efforts to protect biodiversity. The outcome was a global commitment to protect a third of the planet for nature by 2030 as well as reduce food waste by 50%
UK Government
In 2019, the UK Government amended the Climate Change Act 2008 to commit the UK to achieving net zero by 2050, enhancing the previous target of an 80% reduction by this time. Five year carbon budgets are enshrined into law and are legally binding in nature. The Climate Change Committee, an independent body, reports on progress to Parliament.
Welsh Government
Welsh Government has established a legislative and policy framework that both enables and drives action on climate change, holding public bodies to account.
The Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 established seven wellbeing goals into law and requires public bodies to carry out sustainable development (defined as the process of improving the economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing of Wales). The Wellbeing goals include a requirement to work towards
- a “Globally Responsible Wales,” a nation which, when doing anything to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of Wales, takes account of whether doing such a thing may make a positive contribution to global well-being.
- a “Resilient Wales,” a nation which maintains and enhances a biodiverse natural environment with healthy functioning ecosystems that support social, economic and ecological resilience and the capacity to adapt to change.
Importantly, the Act also requires public bodies to adopt five ways of working, all of which are relevant to environmental sustainability.
