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Local Authorities and Sustainable Peatland Management: Current Opportunities and Future Possibilities for Local Approaches
Why will SPM become of increasing importance for local authorities? There are several reasons why increasing attention is likely be paid to the role of local authorities in SPM in the future. These relate to developments in Welsh Government policy on climate change, nature recovery and recovery from Covid 19. Climate change targets in Wales Welsh Government declared a climate emergency, in 2019, and has a target of achieving ‘net zero’ by 2050. This will contribute to the UK’s commitment to net zero in response to agreements made under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change. Wales’ path to net zero is supported by Welsh law on carbon target setting and budgeting (set out in the Environment (Wales) Act 2016). To support its first carbon budget, from 2016-2020, Welsh Government published a strategy for a Low Carbon Wales setting out policies on a sectoral basis. The main considerations are energy generation, industry and transport. However, GHG emissions from land use, land use change and forestry (LCLUCF) are gaining increasing attention, particularly as this is the only sector that has the potential to sequester carbon. SPM is an important LCLUCF measure in reducing GHG emissions and was included in a raft of measures for LCLUCF in the Low Carbon Wales strategy. In future, SPM is likely to gain even great significance as, in 2021, the UK Climate Change Committee (UKCCC), which provides independent advice on tackling climate change across the UK, included peat restoration as a key measure in reporting on LULUCF for the first time. Increasing attention to LULUCF measures in climate change policy has been accompanied by a new emphasis on the role of local authorities in meeting Net Zero. In its Sixth Carbon Budget, in 2020, the UK CCC identified local authority action on GHG emissions as a key area for development. To support this a UK wide report of local authority GHG emissions by sector from 2005-2019 is now available to local authorities. The UK CCC has commissioned a ‘deep dive’ into the role of local authorities in achieving net zero (the UKCCC deep dive). Meanwhile, in the English context this has also been the subject of reports by the National Audit Office and the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee. In general, these organisations are all in agreement that the role of local government is important in meeting Net Zero targets and requires strategic direction from central government. In particular, the deep dive noted, that local authorities were well placed to take a ‘place-based approach’ to achieving net zero rather than focusing on separate sectors. In Wales, in 2017, Welsh Government set a specific target for the public sector, including local authorities, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. This is supported by the Partnership Council for Wales which called on all local authorities to produce a decarbonisation plan, by May 2021. Welsh Government also encourages action by all actors in society in Wales through its Net Zero pledge campaign as part of its All Wales Net Zero strategy. In 2022, it also published its strategy to support its second carbon budget from 2021-2025 for Net Zero Wales. This updated Welsh Government’s policies on woodland creation and peatland restoration.
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