Greenhouse gas 2020 emissions goal 'almost impossible'

It is "almost impossible" for Wales to hit its target of cutting emissions by 40% by 2020, campaigners have said.

Speaking at the UN summit on climate change in Paris, Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant said he was "confident" the goal was achievable.

Since the target was set in 2010, based on levels in 1990, emissions in Wales have fallen by less than 12%.

Gareth Clubb, of Friends of the Earth Cymru, cast doubt on the target now being met.

He said: "It's almost impossible for them to meet the target now because they didn't take early action."

Only the closure of major industrial sites would allow Wales to find the required reduction in emissions, Mr Clubb added.

"Over the next seven years, the Welsh government has to improve its emissions strategy six-fold over what's happened over the last 20 years if it's going to meet that target.

"I don't think anyone is going to see that happening," he said.

Mr Clubb said almost everything the Welsh government saw was "through the lens of employment and jobs".

But Mr Sargeant was more optimistic at the COP21 - the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties - where a possible new global agreement on climate change is being discussed.

"What you have to do as a government is to be ambitious and to push ahead," he said.

"I'm confident we can meet our aspirations and the targets that we've set."

Mr Sargeant was asked how the Welsh government's plans for an M4 relief road near Newport and a new racing track near Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, would help reduce emissions.

"We have to have ambition and a mixture of economic opportunities for Wales. What we can't do is level one against the other, we can do both together," he replied.