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7
WQ.111/2019
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY DEPUTY R.J. WARD OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 26th FEBRUARY 2019
Question
Further to recent action, including strikes, taken by young people in the U.K. to highlight climate change, will the Minister propose that the Government of Jersey commit in the next Government Plan to the target that Jersey should become a carbon-neutral or carbon-negative Island with an economy to match?
Answer
I thank Deputy Ward for his ongoing interest in this very important subject of climate change and how to reduce our carbon emissions.
Jersey's policies and suite of actions to reduce Jersey's carbon emissions by 80% on 1990 baseline levels by 2050 are set out in Pathway 2050: An Energy Plan for Jersey, agreed by the States Assembly in May 2014. Jersey reports annually on its carbon emissions[1] and publishes an annual Energy Plan update report on www.gov.je.
In approving the plan, the States decided the Ministerial Energy Executive would be responsible for reviewing the plan and monitoring the actions in the plan. The Energy Executive group members are the Minister for the Environment, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Social Security, and Minister for Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture.
The five year review of the energy plan will take place in 2020, and the Energy Executive, comprising the four Ministers will need to review the progress we have made to meet the targets which were set in 2014. The Energy Executive will develop new policy areas and actions to achieve and update our targets. Although I personally support his longer term objective, the Deputy 's proposal has very significant wider implications for Jersey. I consider it would be premature for me as Environment Minister, in advance of the work referred to earlier, to pre-determine now that Jersey should become a carbon-neutral or carbon- negative Island with an economy to match in the current planning horizons.
I would welcome input from Deputy Ward , and to discuss the current energy plan for Jersey and try and find opportunities for the Deputy to get more involved in supporting the policies and actions within the plan.
I have asked officers to set up a meeting.