Background

The Wales Net Zero 2035 Challenge Group was established in January 2023 to deliver on a specific commitment in the formal Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru Cooperation Agreement (2021) committed to “commission independent advice to examine potential pathways to net zero by 2035 – the current target date is 2050. This will look at the impact on society and sectors of our economy and how any adverse effects may be mitigated, including how the costs and benefits are shared fairly”. 

Membership

The Group is comprised of a broad range of experts selected from across academia, public and private institutions. Efforts were made to select experts in Welsh institutions, those with a research focus on Wales and those with wider UK and international reach linked to best practice. Key organisations already engaged in net zero delivery also participate in the Group as observers, including appointees from the Welsh Government and the UK Climate Change Committee. The Group members are: 

  1. Mr Paul Allen, Centre for Alternative Technology 
  1. Mr Jyoti Banerjee, North Star Transition 
  1. Prof. Gavin Bunting, Swansea University 
  1. Mr Ben Burgraaf, Net Zero Industry Wales (observer) 
  1. Dr David Clubb, National Infrastructure Commission Wales (observer) 
  1. Ms Jane Davidson, Chair 
  1. Ms Sarah Dickins, independent 
  1. Mr Will Evans, The Oxford Farming Conference 
  1. Dr David Joffe, Committee on Climate Change (observer) 
  1. Mr Keith Jones, National Trust 
  1. Prof. Hillary Kennedy, University of Bangor 
  1. Mr Matthew Knight, Siemens Energy 
  1. Prof. Karen Morrow, Swansea University 
  1. Mr Jon Oates, Welsh Government (observer) 
  1. Dr Eurgain Powell, public sector 
  1. Mr Ben Rawlence, Black Mountains College 
  1. Mr Andy Regan, Nesta Cymru (observer) 
  1. Dr Jennifer Rudd, Swansea University 
  1. Rachel Sharp, Wildlife Trusts Wales 
  1. Dr Rhian Mari Thomas, Green Finance Institute 
  1. Dr Judith Thornton, Aberystwyth University 
  1. Prof. Lorraine Whitmarsh, University of Bath 
  1. Mr Simon Wright, University of Wales Trinity Saint David 
  1. Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales (observer) 
  1. Wales Youth Parliament (observer) 

The Group is supported by a secretariat, consisting of Mr Stanley Townsend (Secretary) and Ms Olafiyin Taiwo (Minutes secretary). The Wales Centre for Public Policy has also been asked by the Welsh Government to support the work of the Group as an independent institution. Dan Bristow, Director of Policy and Practice at the Centre is leading this work (https://www.wcpp.org.uk/project/net-zero-35/)