Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Assembly candidates tackle FoE hustings

Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire Friends of the Earth had invited all seven candidates to the meeting, chaired by Gordon James, former director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, at the town’s Bloomfield Centre.

Attending the hustings were: Val Bradley, Wales Green Party; Angela Burns, Welsh Conservatives; Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrats; Marc Tierney, Welsh Labour; Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru; Alan Brookes, UKIP; and Chris Overton of Independent Save Withybush Save Lives.

The first issue raised for candidates was whether they felt climate change was the most important issue facing politicians.

Marc Tierney said it was “an important issue we have to address,” adding: “If we’re looking to sustain our economy we have to take it seriously; with the green economy we have so many natural resources it would be ludicrous not to use it.”

Alistair Cameron said: “At the end of the day it’s what affects the survival of the human race,” adding his party was committed to zero carbon emissions and full use of renewable energy by 2050.

He said the Assembly should also publish a ‘carbon report’ in the same manner as a financial report.

Angela Burns said: “An extinction level threat trumps everything,” but stressed: “Every government has to carry a mix forward; if you predicated your entire government strategy on that one measure there would be shortages and there would be rioting.”

She said there was a need to “wean” people off fossil fuels, and take the public along the cause incrementally.

Alan Brookes said UKIP denied climate change was man-made.

“What we are certain of is, unless we do something about energy policy we are going to be in terrible trouble compared to other counties.”

He cited examples of other countries having much lower energy costs, making it difficult to compete.

Simon Thomas said it was “the biggest crisis facing humanity”.

Giving the example of renewables jobs in Germany, he said: “I don’t see why we can’t share that in Wales; we have to think about it in terms of energy security, in Pembrokeshire we’re importing gas from Qatar; we have to get a more sustainable future.”

He described climate change deniers as “flat earther,” adding: “I will never join in that and will fight that tooth and nail.”

Chris Overton said: “The most important issue for the last 20 years is politicians talk the talk but they don’t walk the walk. We’re still talking about how we must improve our use of renewables; until that happens we’re not going to get any improvement on climate change.”

Val Bradley said government green policies had been rolled back, describing them as “victims of their own success”.

She said the problem was “unsustainable” carbon-based industries, such as oil, with “unusable assets”.

“They’ve got to unload them as fast as they can. We’ve got to have a long-term view where you reduce without affecting jobs.

“This is the future, it’s not just me, all these people; they know this.”

She added: “We have to somehow wean everybody off oil without destroying the social fabric.”

Another question was the candidates’ commitment to the green energy economy, which was said to have twice the growth of the rest of the economy.

Marc Tierney said there was a need to stop the “big six” energy companies “fleecing” customers and investing more into energy efficiency.

Angela Burns said: “The most important thing in all of Wales is to ensure every time we build new houses we put in sustainable facilities.”

She added: “It’s not going to be all the answers, but it will help.”

Simon Thomas said: “I think there’s a fantastic opportunity for Wales from all kinds of energy developments.

“The big six are a problem so why don’t we set up our won electricity companies?”

Alan Brookes said improving insulation was important.

He added: “I don’t agree with having wind energy and turbines, I believe they’re making certain people lots and lots of money to the detriment of the people who pay for electricity.”

Val Bradley said, ironically, austerity had led to communities coming together.

“Generating renewable energy in your community, it’s starting to be developed in Europe, you can sell it directly to the grid and the money comes back to the community; if you can foster this idea it’s a marvellous incentivising idea.”

She added: “It’s sad people having a prejudice against wind turbines, they’re not being put in because they don’t work, they’re being put in because they do work.

“It will help small communities, particularly the farming industry.”

Marc Tierney said: “It’s very important we have communities taking responsibility for producing energy, if we want to have a situation where communities are able to generate their own energy it comes at a price.”

Angela Burns warned that wind turbines a contentious issue.

“My email box, if it’s not health it’s pretty much always planning, and if it’s not planning, it’s wind turbines.

“Most of the time a farmer has wanted to put up a turbine and the local communities object; with community turbines I still have people coming to me.

“You’ve got to take people with you.”

Chris Overton felt green technologies should be “pump-primed” to deliver innovations.

Alistair Cameron said increasing insulation was one of the easiest and cheapest ways of making homes more eco-friendly.

He said the Lib-Dems were in favour of green technologies such as the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon.