Climate change won't wait for Brexit, campaigners say

Brexit must not distract ministers from tackling climate change, environmental campaigners have warned.

Haf Elgar, chairwoman of the Stop Climate Chaos Cymru coalition, claimed the vote to leave the EU meant other issues had been "deprioritised".

Climate change had to be the "number one" priority, she said, pointing to assembly laws which imposed a duty on the public sector to take action.

The Welsh Government said it wanted to see a low carbon economy and society.

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday Politics Wales programme, Ms Elgar said: "We had two pieces of legislation in the last assembly - the Future Generations Act and the Environment Act - which mean we have to tackle climate change and it has to be the top priority.

"We can't just let it go for a few years because of Brexit."

Ms Elgar also called for "more action" across government to limit global warming.

"We haven't seen carbon impact assessments of the Programme for Government or the draft budget for example so there needs to be action across government."

A Welsh Government spokesman said: "Brexit does not mean that tackling climate change is no longer a priority.

"We remain committed to reducing our greenhouse emissions and developing renewable energy projects, as highlighted in our Programme for Government.

"Just this week the cabinet secretary was at COP22 in Marrakech to highlight Wales' achievements and reaffirm our commitment to meeting international targets.

"Through the Environment Act and Well-being of Future Generations Acts we have established in law actions to achieve the Wales we want and have set the foundation for transitioning to a low carbon economy and society.

"We are now pressing forward to deliver on these commitments, with a cross government programme established to ensure the statutory commitments contained in the Environment Act are in place by the end of 2018."

• Sunday Politics Wales, BBC One Wales, Sunday 20 November at 11:00 GMT