Proposer: Councillor Ifan Davies

Seconder: Councillor Ray Quant MBE

Council notes that:

The Independent Group requests that Ceredigion County Council call on Welsh Government to legislate that:

1.    Any subsidy directly or indirectly obtained through any government schemes for carbon management:

a)    is retained as carbon credit for the benefit of Wales’ economy and people,

b)    and that each County has a percentage gain of any credit generated in the said County which can be offset against the public services and goods of that said County,

c)    and also, that any third-party sale or lease of carbon credit outside Wales cannot be activated unless Wales is carbon neutral and where there is a 10% surplus of credit.

Proposer: Cllr. Ifan Davies

Seconder: Cllr. Ray Quant

Council notes that:

The Independent Group requests that Ceredigion County Council call on Welsh Government to legislate that:

1. Any subsidy directly or indirectly obtained through any government schemes for carbon management:

a) is retained as carbon credit for the benefit of Wales’ economy and people,

b) and that each County has a percentage gain of any credit generated in the said County which can be offset against the public services and goods of that said County,

c) and also, that any third-party sale or lease of carbon credit outside Wales cannot be activated unless Wales is carbon neutral and where there is a 10% surplus of credit.

Councillor Ifan Davies gave an outline of current situation noting that the Welsh Government has set a target for Wales to be carbon neutral by 2050 and for the public sector to be 95% carbon neutral by end of the decade.  It was noted however, that there is currently a crisis in rural Wales with companies from other countries purchasing farms in rural areas to be entirely planted with trees in order to access the carbon management grants.  Councillor Davies stated that he was aware of four farms have been purchased recently for this purpose, three in Carmarthenshire and one in Ceredigion. 

Councillor Davies stated that as farmers we realise the need to plant trees on our farms, which are planted on poor quality land, with the remaining land retained for food production. This recent development will impact on our community, our culture and our Welsh language.  Our young people will not be able to remain here, and this is comparable to the flooding of Tryweryn.   Wales is not for sale for carbon credits.

We need to draw the attention of Welsh Government to the real danger facing rural areas. Our carbon footprint in Ceredigion is very good, however the unintended consequences of the policy is that if credits are transferred outside Wales we will not be able to produce meat, milk, cheese and other food products and we will have to import such things. 

Councillor Ray Quant noted that it is a pleasure to second this Motion, noting that this is a high level strategic statement to the Welsh Government on behalf of Ceredigion County Council.

During the discussion, Members noted that they supported the Motion stating that purchasing carbon credits could be seen as a way for large corporations to offload their responsibilities, whilst our self-sufficiency and ability to meet our own needs is reduced. Members noted that the Welsh Government provide grants to farmers to grow trees, and that this funding is being provided to these large corporations. Members also noted that that surplus carbon credits could attract businesses to the area. It was also noted that Carbon can also be trapped effectively in land, and that planting trees everywhere is not the only answer.

Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn noted that she would raise this matter with the Welsh Government.

Following a vote, it was RESOLVED unanimously to agree the motion as presented.