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A panel of politicians is calling for an independent scientific ‘Climate Council’ to be set up to monitor the island’s journey to carbon neutrality and provide advice.
Later this month, the States Assembly is due to debate the Government’s ‘Carbon Neutral Roadmap’ – which set out how the island can achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement.
It sets out a short-term plan, for between now and 2026, which spends £23m already set aside in a ‘Climate Emergency Fund’ on subsidies and other initiatives to promote greener living.
Longer term, the strategy sets out decisions on such matters as energy supply that future Governments will have to make over the next 28 years.
Before the debate, the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel - the politicians tasked with reviewing the plan - have suggested adding a new element to the strategy.
The panel: “The independent, scientific council will enhance the governance and oversight of the long-term delivery of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap through providing weight and accountability to climate policy processes.
“It will enhance the governance framework already proposed to further the commitment and accountability of the Roadmap over the long-term. Fundamentally, it will assist in keeping the Government on track to meet its climate objectives and to hold it accountable.”
They say that such a group should have an odd number of members, and include one member with expertise in the field of energy, one economics expert, and one climate technology expert.
The panel argue that such councils have been used elsewhere to make “reliable, evidence-based recommendations” and are seen as “as credible monitors of progress towards a country’s climate aims.”
The Roadmap is due to be debated in the States Assembly sitting beginning 25 April.
Express previously spoke to Steve Skelton, the Government's Group Director, Strategy and Innovation, about the new Carbon Neutral Roadmap...
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