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Summer 2019 Wales’ best policy and politics magazine Climate emergency Steve Brooks Independence Nye Davies Fair work Linda Dickens ISSN 2059-8416 Print ISSN 2398-2063 Online CONTENTS: SUMMER 2019 Wales’ best policy and politics magazine Play it Again Don’t Sp rt miss out! SHOP Low Carbon Bargain sports kit FOR SALE FOR SALE Conference @ 18th July 2019 Copthorne Hotel, Steve Brooks Nye Davies Simon Jones 2 The land that cried wolf? 4 Are you indy-curious? 6 Terminally-ill people need Cardiff fast access to benefits Ynyshir, Aberdare & Treorchy Ynyshir, Aberdare & Treorchy Donations of sports kit also accepted 2 Environment: Steve Brooks 13 Housing: Jennie Bibbings 24 Bevan Foundation News #CHCLowCarb19 The land that cried wolf? Locked out of social housing Charity no. 515211 26 Subscriber News 4 Politics: Nye Davies 14 Well-being: Lauren Pennycook Are you indy-curious? Well-being in practice 27 Spotlight: Joe Logan Chief Executive, Tai Calon 5 Politics: Matthew Wall 16 Political voices: Community Housing Ltd. Keyboard warriors and the Leanne Wood AM Euro election Devolving welfare administration 28 Last word: Victoria Winckler POSITIF THINKING EVENT IN COLLABORATION WITH HUGH JAMES Labour Law and to Wales Behind the political chaos 6 Health & social security: the Fair Work Agenda Simon Jones 17 Political Voices: Nick Smith MP Tuesday 16th July Terminally-ill people need Re-Tredegarise the NHS to tackle fast access to benefits our public health crisis 6pm – 7.30pm (join us at 5.30 for refreshments) Wales’ best policy and politics magazine The Wales TUC is working in social partnership with Welsh Government to make Wales a fair work nation – with the extension of collective 8 Education: Kirtsy Williams AM 18 Q&A: Jane Hutt AM bargaining and union representation at the heart of delivery. Learning about relationships The ‘equality clause’ – where In May 2019 a report by the independent Fair Work Commission was published in Wales, having been commissioned by Welsh it came from and what it does Government. The task of the Commission was to make evidence- PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF AFFORDABLE based recommendations to promote and encourage fair work. 9 Education: Kathryn Robson HOUSING SUPPLY Evidence put to that Commission included policy ideas currently being developed by the Institute of Employment Rights around a The right to lifelong learning 20 Partner Profile: Manifesto for Labour Law and reflected in long established policy of RD MONDAY 23 SEPTEMBER 2019 – 6PM the Wales TUC. The Open University in Wales HUGH JAMES OFFICES, CENTRAL SQUARE This meeting will update us on the IER manifesto, the TUC great jobs agenda and the work that the Wales TUC is undertaking with 10 Employment: Linda Dickens Fifty years of life-changing learning Welsh government to ensure that fair work through social partnership is delivered for workers throughout Wales. Fair work Speakers: 22 Film Review: Steffan Evans ʹͲͳͻ Kate Bell, Head of Rights, International, Social and Economics, TUC Bevan Foundation Ǥ Dr Steve Davies, Honorary Research Fellow, Cardiff University 12 Housing: Tamsin Stirling A Northern Soul 145a High Street, John Hendy QC, Chair, Institute of Employment Rights Affordable homes Dr Lydia Hayes, Reader in Law, Cardiff University Merthyr Tydfil CF47 8DP Mick Antoniw, Assembly Member for Pontypridd Ǥ Chair: Carolyn Jones, Director, Institute of Employment Rights Tel. 01685 350 938 ǡ Committee Room 1, Glamorgan Building, Cardiff University, [email protected] Ǥ King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3WT The views in articles, advertisements and news items in Exchange are those of the contributors www.bevanfoundation.org The meeting is free to attend. Please sign up via our Eventbrite page. Further details: IER 0151 207 5265; [email protected]. and are not necessarily shared or endorsed by Bevan Foundation Trustees, staff or other ̷Ǥ subscribers. All articles are copyright Bevan Foundation. bevanfoundation Summer 2019 | Bevan Foundation Exchange | 1 ENVIRONMENT: STEVE BROOKS The land that cried wolf? Steve Brooks, Director of Sustrans Cymru and former chair of Stop Climate Chaos Cymru, asks if Wales’ climate emergency is a smokescreen or the start of something new. n April this year, the National chooses its candidate to face in sustainable development (how we Assembly for Wales became the Donald Trump in 2020. In the UK, balance human progress with the first parliament in the world to YouGov’s monthly issue tracker has environment) grew following the 1992 Ideclare a ‘climate emergency’. As seen the environment rise as an Earth Summit in Rio, when UN welcome a move as this is, what’s the ‘important issue facing the country’ member states came together to risk that such a declaration will act as making it the joint fourth most debate, resolve and collaborate on a smokescreen for business as usual? important issue alongside the major issues of sustainability. In Wales, On woodlands, Welsh Government makers and internationally renowned approach. Policy must no longer be The idea of declaring a ‘climate economy, behind only Brexit, health, the founding legislation for devolution is a long way from target. Its 2010 experts to discuss mitigation and watered down and not delivered. emergency’ has gained traction over and crime. One of the final acts of placed a statutory duty on the climate change strategy contained an adaption policy and practice. Crucially, On that, I am cautiously optimistic. the last six months. From Greta outgoing prime minister Theresa National Assembly to promote ambition to expand woodland area by it also provided a space for different The Welsh Government’s decision Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion and May has been to throw her weight sustainable development. The 100,000 ha by 2030 (with an annual groups to engage, debate and not to proceed with the M4 relief the schools strikes movement, behind the UK Committee on principle was elevated in importance target of 5,000 ha per year). Canfor, collaborate; literally bringing green road, in part because of environmental people globally are again rising up in Climate Change’s recommendation by the One Wales Government of the timber industry body, estimated campaigners and big business into considerations, is significant. And protest at the inaction of of a net-zero greenhouse gas 2007-11, which made sustainable in 2018 that Welsh Government had the same room to discuss the way whilst the Welsh Government’s new governments the world over. A emissions target by 2050. development its ‘central organising only met 11 per cent of the target and ahead. This no longer happens and decarbonisation plan is not without catalyst for this global uprising was, principle’. Civil society, under the argued that this lack of delivery had is missed by all. The Commission’s its weaknesses, it has re-set the tone in many ways, the publication of a banner of Stop Climate Chaos, prompted a far less ambitious target Land Use Group was instrumental in within government and provided special report of the In April this year, the successfully overturned Welsh Labour to be adopted by the Woodlands for setting Welsh Government’s original fuel to renewed sustainability efforts. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate opposition to a 3 per cent annual Wales Action Plan. That plan set a woodland’s target; its Heavy Energy The forthcoming budget presents Change in October 2018. The National Assembly reduction in emissions (against a 1990 shorter-term target of establishing Users’ Group provided a link the next key test of Welsh special report looked at the impact for Wales became the baseline) and helped establish the 2,000ha of new woodland each year between energy policy makers and Government’s seriousness. The of global warming of 1.5°C above Climate Change Commission for by 2020 – less than half the original business; and, with the Sustainable budget should include a raft of pre-industrial levels and the actions first parliament in Wales: a body that brought together aim. For comparison, the UK Development Commission and new green measures to stimulate necessary to cut emissions. the world to declare a government and public sector, Committee on Climate Change Constructing Excellence, it provided renewable energy; retrofit housing The political impact of the IPCC NGOs, academics and experts, and recommends a woodland target of technical support and leadership to stock; decarbonise the transport special report and the global ‘climate emergency’. business. This in turn paved the way upward 4,000ha per year. the homebuilding sector on system; support sustainable land movement has been considerable. for Welsh Government’s 2010 In 2016, the Climate Change decarbonisation. management, strengthen eco- Climate change and environmental Climate Change Strategy. Commission for Wales was closed If the declaration of a Climate systems and encourage better diets. issues are rising up the political As much as I welcome a greater But that early pace of progress without formal consultation. The Emergency by the Welsh Crucially it should work with agenda. A green wave swept Europe political focus on climate change and during the first decade of devolution Commission brought together Government is to mean anything, business – including big business – during this year’s parliamentary the environment, we have been here fell back after 2011. Policy failed to delivery bodies, interest groups, policy it must represent a watershed in to protect and provide jobs within elections. The environment featured before. And in Wales, we must also match rhetoric in 2013, when Welsh all of this. Declaring an emergency strongly in the recent Danish and contend with the perennial problem Government rolled back from its demands emergency action; Wales Australian general elections of the ‘delivery gap’: when lofty climate change commitments, for If the declaration of a Climate Emergency by needs nothing less. (although the climate-sceptics won political rhetoric fails to translate example watering down emission the day down under), and it is into radical action on the ground.
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