UKIP committee chair says man is probably warming the world

Mark Reckless said his approach to chairing the committee will be 'evidence-led'

The UKIP chair of an assembly committee scrutinising climate change policy has said it is wrong to claim he does not believe human activity is affecting global temperatures.

A petition to stop UKIP chairing the committee has more than 7,000 backers.

The petitioners claim UKIP AMs "don't believe that climate change is being caused by humans."

But Mark Reckless - Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee chair - said that was not true.

Mr Reckless said he was happy to meet the petition organisers and explain his views.

UKIP Wales leader Nathan Gill said in 2015: "We don't agree that man is responsible for changing the climate.

"We think it's hubris and we also think that governments have realised this is a great way of taxing people and people will say 'thank you for taxing us because you're going to save the world'."

Nathan Gill says no cash should be spent on trying to reduce global warming

During the recent assembly election campaign Mr Gill reiterated that he was "very, very sceptical" that mankind had any impact on temperatures and insisted no money should be spent trying to tackle global warming:

"[We're] literally a bunch of people, King Canutes, thinking that we can stop the tide," he said.

But, on Wednesday, Mark Reckless said he did not share Mr Gill's view:

"I believe it's likely that man-made activity is warming the world. Human activity is probably a factor in climate change.

"I've invited the petitioners to meet me. I'm happy to hear their concerns and explain my personal position.

"My approach to chairing the committee will be evidence-led and I will represent the views of the committee as a whole."