Wales has the biggest CO2 emissions per person in the UK, according to new figures released today.
The Green, Green Grass of Home did not appear that green this morning, when the Welsh Liberal Democrats revealed that the average Welsh citizen emits 14.2 tonnes of CO2 per year.
This colossal output is nearly 50% higher than England (8.8 tonnes) and Scotland (8.5 tonnes) combined.
Striking like a Thunderball this morning, the alarming figures also placed Wales number 12 in the list of the world’s biggest CO2 emitters.
When probably not asked ‘what’s new pussycat?’ Jenny Willott, Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central, said: “These are very worrying figures. Wales now needs to cut its carbon emissions by over 15% by 2010 in order to meet its contribution to the UK’s Kyoto target. This is a mountain to climb in such a short space of time.”
Ms Willott attributed Wales’s poor standing to its high concentration of heavy industry, but acknowledged that household emissions were still too high.
“In particular, domestic carbon emissions from Welsh households are still higher in Wales compared to the UK average,” claimed the MP. “This requires urgent action including bigger grants and incentives for Welsh families to take up energy efficient and microgeneration technologies.”
Neither Friends of the Earth Cymru or opposition parties were quoted as saying the figures were ‘not unusual’, but all expressed their surprise and urged the Welsh Assembly Government to act.
