Source · Select Committees · Welsh Affairs Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Paragraph: 43
The shift to a net zero economy will be one of the most significant economic...
Conclusion
The shift to a net zero economy will be one of the most significant economic transformations in decades. It will have far reaching consequences for communities and individuals across the UK, for livelihoods and lifestyles. While this decarbonisation journey offers potentially rich rewards, it also contains significant risks for the Welsh economy. While Wales’ natural resources may lend themselves to renewable generation projects, there is no guarantee that the supply chains and workforces involved in the development of these programmes will be based in, or come from, Wales. Securing the benefits of, and minimising the risks from, the shift to net zero will, among other things, require a comprehensive strategy, and focus, on upskilling the Welsh workforce.
Paragraph Reference:
43
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The UK government set out in the Ten Point Plan for a green industrial revolution, the importance of supporting levelling up and revitalising our industrial heartlands—and supporting up to 250,000 jobs across the UK by 2030—as we transition to net zero. While some areas are devolved, many of the initiatives and much of the funding announced within the Ten Point Plan will apply in Wales. For example, we will invest up to £1 billion to support the establishment of Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) in at least four industrial clusters, creating ‘SuperPlaces’ in areas such as central and north-eastern Scotland, south Wales, the Humber, Teesside and Merseyside. We are also investing in the UK’s most important asset—our workforce—to ensure that people have the right skills to deliver the low-carbon transition and thrive in the high- value jobs this will create. Last year we launched the Green Jobs Taskforce, which included representatives from business, trade unions and skills providers. The group was asked to look at the following challenges and advise government, industry and the skills sector on how to realise the UK’s ambitions for green jobs: • the skills needed to drive a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic; • the skills needed to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; • how the UK can ensure green jobs are good jobs, and open to all; and • how workers in high carbon-sectors can be supported to transition to the new green economy. The Taskforce engaged with a wide range of industry stakeholders, and officials from the secretariat met with Welsh Government Officials. The Taskforce published its independent