Devolved Decisions

Issue 3A

What control does the devolved Welsh Government have over energy production in Wales? 

In 2019, the Senedd officially declared a Climate Emergency, making Wales the first government in the world to do so. The action took place fewer than 40 years after the central UK government clashed with striking miners, whom Thatcher called “the enemy within”. It was made possible by devolution, with environmental policy being one of the Welsh Assembly’s powers...but increasing pressures for energy security raise questions about the future of Wales’ true independence around these issues.

The themes highlighted by government narratives can tell us a lot about priorities and resources. Welsh discussions around energy emphasise the “the Energy Trilemma”: a need to support energy security (stable access to power), energy equity (affordable access to power for all), and environmental sustainability (action against climate change). Read more about the Senedd’s approach to energy policies and behaviours via the links below.

When it comes to the Welsh Assembly, it isn’t only policies that are environmentally focused. The purpose-built home for the devolved government is a leader in sustainable construction as well. Read more in this planning report and the building highlights article below, and take the audio tour to learn more about both the building and its values.

Environmental policy is devolved to the Welsh Assembly, so the Senedd has control over energy resource extraction and use within Wales...but does it really? Physical and political connections with the rest of the United Kingdom, as well as Westminster’s formal reservation of certain areas and resources, complicates who gets what. Read about some of this back-and-forth in the research piece, press release, and news story below.