Climate change targets are important as long as they are legally binding, but the fact is that ambition on action typically lags well behind ambition on long-term targets. So we need to ‘up’ the ambition on action, both nationally and locally.

That’s why Ynys Môn Labour Party’s local manifesto (https://www.angleseylabour.co.uk/all-news/2021/04/01/llafur-ynys-mon-labour-manifesto-for-mon-maniffesto-mon/) sets out a series of achievable goals that will benefit both the environment and local people:

•  Development of a strong action plan by the County Council to follow up on the Climate Emergency motion successfully proposed by Labour councillors.

•  Increased funding for the proposed hydrogen hub in Holyhead — hydrogen is a zero-emission fuel for transportation and a long-term energy store and could also be used to heat homes.

•  Strong support for the large offshore wind farms proposed to the North and North East of Ynys Môn, which also offer an opportunity to bring new jobs to our coastal towns.

•  Expansion of ‘retrofitting’ on Ynys Môn, to make more homes energy efficient through better insulation and other measures.

•  More new energy-efficient social housing, including council houses.
An increase in all-age apprenticeships on the Island in the emerging green industries.

•  A doubling of onshore wind energy, with more community schemes and protection of sensitive landscape.

•  Support for Lôn Las Môn as an active travel and leisure path for cycle, walking, riding and wheelchair use.

•  Support for the Save Penrhos group as they try to preserve public access throughout Penrhos Coastal Park.

•  A doubling of woodland on the Island, as well as better footpaths.

•  Creation of new local nature reserves and better management of road verges and hedgerows for the protection of nature.

•  A Sustainable Farming Scheme that will reward farmers for improving soils, air, water, habitats.

It’s not just a change in targets that is needed, but a change in mind set, and we will be doing our best to drive that change.

So, based on current policies, the UK is set to badly overshoot its emissions targets for 2030 and the Conservative Government in Westminster continues to be reluctant to adopt the specific recommendations of the UK Committee on Climate Change.