VoteClimate: Climate Assessment of Plaid Cymru's Manifesto

Climate Assessment of Plaid Cymru's Manifesto

14 Jun 24

Analysis by Dr Jason Palmer (Cambridge Energy, CAR and UCL)

Plaid Cymru’s Manifesto has a strong fairness agenda: fair funding for Wales, fair play for patients, and fairness for families and communities. They say £4bn is owed to Wales for HS2 (an England-only project, so they should be compensated for missing out) and Westminster funding for Wales should be based around needs, so the Welsh get the public services they deserve.

Plaid say the UK should re-enter the EU Single Market and Customs Union at the earliest opportunity, to mitigate the impact of Brexit on Welsh businesses. They also want to reverse the decision to close the blast furnaces in Port Talbot – and to explore options for greening steel production, including using green hydrogen.

Plaid say they recognise that the climate and nature emergencies are the biggest threat to mankind, and the Manifesto reaffirms their commitment to reaching net zero targets in Wales by 2035 – even more ambitious than the Greens. However, they offer little detail on how they would achieve this, or fund it.

Plaid Cymru Manifesto

How much would each party's manifesto commitments reduce UK CO2e emissions?
Party Manifestos - Climate Comparison

Key pledges in the next parliament Impact on UK emissions Impact on per capita emissions
Establish Welsh Green New Deal – reskilling employees and apprentices to move into the green and net-zero sectors Unquantifiable Unquantifiable
Introduce higher Air Passenger Duty and kerosene tax for private jets Unquantifiable: depends how much Unquantifiable: depends how much
Seek to expand Wales’ national energy company, Ynni Cymru, to grow community-owned renewable energy generation Unquantifiable: depends how much Unquantifiable: depends how much
Oppose new nuclear generation sites in Wales RISE in emissions RISE in emissions
Would oppose new licences for oil and gas drilling Low (by 2030) Low (by 2030)

NB: It is not clear when Plaid’s key pledges would be actioned.



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