Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change & Rural Affairs
In accordance with the inter-institutional relations agreement, I can report to Members that I attended the Interministerial Group on Net Zero, Energy and Climate Change, on 6 March 2025. The meeting was chaired by Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs at the Northern Ireland Executive.
The meeting also was attended by Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero at the UK Government, Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, Acting Minister for Climate Action at the Scottish Government, and Caoimhe Archibald MLA, Minister for the Economy at the Northern Ireland Executive.
The meeting addressed three topics: biomethane, local energy initiatives and benefits to communities, and carbon budgets in the context of the Climate Change Committee’s recent advice on the UK’s seventh carbon budget.
In the discussion that followed on biomethane, I acknowledged its potential to reduce methane emissions, improve water quality and provide a new source of income. I also drew attention to the challenges in commercialisation and scale, given Wales’ relative lack of larger agricultural units, as well as the biosecurity risks of moving materials between farms. On local energy, I highlighted the opportunity we have to rebalance the market towards communities. I also expressed my desire for our productive discussions on Great British Energy to continue. On carbon budgets, I highlighted the opportunities within the Climate Change Committee’s advice, such as a reduction in electricity prices. I also stressed the importance of UK Government policy in achieving Wales’ targets, as about 60% of the emissions reductions required in Wales by 2050 occur in sectors for which policy is largely reserved to the UK Government.
I will chair the next Interministerial Group meeting in Cardiff, which I expect to be in May.
The communiqué from the meeting has been published on GOV.UK: