OUR CITY AND THE GREEN ENERGY REVOLUTION

Our city, Newport needs to directly benefit from the green energy revolution, with our deep water port and our highly skilled,  experienced and adaptable workers, we have massive advantages.  Thats why our city should be at the forefront of the development of off-shore wind, tidal lagoons, tidal turbines and a revisited Usk river barrage. 

It’s been almost 29 years ago since the proposed Usk barrage was rejected by, then Welsh Secretary and later Conservative leader, William Hague, our city needs a second chance by making good use of its natural position and its skills to thrive and prosper. Since then our city has largely been neglected and ignored by government at all levels - it’s time for change. 

Newport as a port city, lies the river Usk, a river with the third highest rise and fall of tide in Wales, with its history of manufacturing and heavy industry, should be well placed to benefit for the development of tidal lagoons to the west and the east of the city and the harnessing of some of the tide energy potential of the Severn estuary - with a combination of tidal turbines, waves power, off shore wind, and an Usk river barrage to harness our rivers energy potential and to focus redevelopment on our city’s river.

The concept of Green Jobs and the economic contribution that they can make to our communities and to the Welsh economy is now well recognised by most people. Our coastline and our maritime and energy resources will remain a largely untapped resource for the foreseeable future.  The prototype tidal lagoon should have been a first step towards making Wales a world leader in a new and innovative technology with the potential to power our future. 

The ongoing failure to start work on the Swansea Tidal lagoon is a perfect demonstration of why Wales needs to gain greater control over its own future. We can no longer not afford the luxury of Westminster continuing to hold back our country’s potential for developing renewable sustainable energy sector and the related skills that could make Wales a world leader. 

Westminster has consistently denied fair funding and the tools (the powers) to reshape and reboot our economy, whether with Conservative, Conservative-Lib Dem or Labour Governments, which would have enabled a government in Cardiff to invest to create well-paid jobs in Wales. 

Renewable energy development (and green collar jobs that should come with it) has the  potential to create renewable and sustainable non nuclear energy supply, which can bootstrap our economy, cut carbon emissions and also development energy supplies  that are not dependent on imported oil and gas from the unstable Middle East and the Persian gulf and Russia.

We have a double problem, firstly we have a Labour dominated Senedd that’s bereft of ambition, ideas and the tools to do the job, and at times seems to be busy redefining the concept of inert, and secondly Westminster ( whoever is in charge ) is just simply not interested in making Wales thrive, or allowing Wales to acquire the powers that could make Wales a world-leader in the development of renewable energy technologies and also to generate the technologies and jobs that go with it. 

DEVOLVING THE CROWN ESTATES

 

Plaid Cymru is the only party demanding that control of the Crown estates and its profits be devolved to Wales at this Westminster general election. As control of these resources could make a real difference when it comes developing sustainable green energy, green jobs and our economy bringing the change and the hope that our communties need.

The profits derived from the Crown Estate which include natural resources including tidal power, have been valued at a massive £853 million. Imagine what this could do for our communities - and yet, gains are redirected straight to the UK Treasury, with a portion handed directly to the Royal Family.

This is first and foremost an environmental issue. The devolution of powers over the management of the Crown Estate would bolster our efforts in Wales to reach net-zero through the integration of energy policy with our Net Zero Wales plan. Reinvesting profits in Wales could create thousands of well-paid green jobs, helping to address the persistent problems of low pay and job insecurity. It is also a matter of fairness. 

The Crown estate's holdings north of the border were devolved to Scotland in 2016, and its revenue now goes to the Scottish government. In Wales nothing has been done to make the Crown Estate publicly account’s to the Senedd and the Welsh people. The Crown Estate owns the UK seabed out to 12 nautical miles. 

This mens that in Scotland there is a very different system, where the Scottish government takes 100 percent of the profits generated by the Crown Estate Scotland, a separate entity. Ironically Westminster recognises that the Scottish Crown Estate should be managed by the Scottish Government and devolved those powers back in 2017. If it’s good enough for Scotland, so why not Wales?

Our energy and water resources including the responsibility for sewerage for the whole territory of Wales should be the responsibility of the Welsh Government. The Crown Estate still remains largely unaccountable to the people of Wales and all profits from its holdings (which includes on and off shore wind farms) are passed to the UK Westminster Government. 

Profits from these holdings are likely to grow significantly mostly due to the growing demand for renewable energy. For way too long our natural resources and profits from them have been run for the benefit of others with few real or lasting benefits trickling down to the people of Wales. Ownership and control over the Crown Estates in Wales should be transferred to the Welsh Government. 

The final say on how our natural resources are exploited and developed should be the direct responsibility of the Welsh people (and the Welsh Government) with 100% of the profits or dividends directly benefiting the people who live here rather than opaque absentee landlords or indifferent unaccountable Treasury officials. 

THE CROWN ESTATES

Plaid had stated that “Profits from Wales’ natural resources should flow to Wales to boost our economy”.  

Plaid Cymru has a debate to the Senedd today (Wednesday 12th July) to call for the devolution of powers over the management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales.

The Revenue from the Crown Estate, valued at over £600 million in 2021, flows straight to the UK Treasury. The Sovereign Grant, which is taken from public spending to cover the expenses of the royal household, is determined as a proportion of Crown Estate profits.

This has been set at 25% since 2017/18, which means that the Sovereign Grant paid to the royal family this year will be worth a record £110 million, based on the fact that the Crown Estate registered record profits in 2022/23.

Delyth Jewell MS, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson on energy and the environment has said that “profits from Scotland’s natural resources goes to the Scottish Government - why not in Wales?”

Ms Jewell says that the money could be used to help create well-paid green jobs, further research into solutions to tackle the climate crisis, and help Wales reach its net zero targets.

One such opportunity could be investment in a research vessel, the Prince Madog, which would offer Welsh scientists the opportunity to understand more about Wales’ coastline, both offshore and the near shore environment.

Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Energy and the Environment, Delyth Jewell MS said:

“Wales’ natural resources should be controlled by Wales for the benefit of the communities of Wales, not Westminster.

“This is no more true than with the Crown Estate – a company which holds assets in Wales, valued at more than £600m in 2021, and yet the profits of which go straight to the UK Treasury.

“Profits made from Wales’ natural resources should be kept in Wales to boost our economy, not that of the UK Treasury. It should be as simple as that. It’s the case in Scotland, where those powers have been transferred and the revenue from Scottish assets now go straight to the Scottish Government.

“That’s why we’re calling for those powers to be devolved to Wales. With that money, thousands of well-paid green jobs could be created, research into solutions to tackle the climate crisis could be furthered, and opportunities to reap benefits from our own natural resources could be maximised.

“Ultimately, it’s the people of Wales who should be able to direct how best to benefit from that economic opportunity – not Westminster, and this starts with the Senedd voting for Plaid Cymru’s motion to demand power over the Crown Estate.”

Speaking about the Prince Madog, a research vessel commissioned by Bangor Uni that enables UK's marine scientists to study the biology, chemistry, geology and physics of the seas, Dr Michael Roberts, R & D Manager, Centre for Applied Marine Sciences at Bangor University, said:

“The Prince Madog has a real role to play in maximising Wales’ benefit of its natural resources. The ship has the capacity to research the offshore environment in a huge amount of detail – through mapping the sea bed so that we can better understand what it’s made of and the physical processes that operate within it.

“We also have capacity to look at the near shore environment – the difficult to access areas using a small boat with portable multi beam systems.

“It’s important that this mapping work is done so that we have a better understanding of those environments and how to manage and exploit them in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way - it has the potential to help bring economic and environmental benefits to Wales.

“However, we are only in this position because of funding from the EU. Without further funding to utilise all this, an opportunity will be lost in a relatively short space of time.”

5 REASONS TO VOTE FOR WALES

After the pandemic, Plaid Cymru will have to put economic recovery front and centre of everything we do. 

1. Deliver a Green Industrial revolution Climate change presents the next global emergency – we are already seeing its effects in extreme weather events, flooding, and increasing record breaking temperatures. Wales has declared a climate emergency and we know we’re reaching several climate tipping points. We believe we need to act now, and we need to act radically. Plaid Cymru wants a Green Industrial Revolution for Wales. We will become a testbed for global innovation on climate change, and this will help us achieve a net zero carbon target by 2035.

2. Deliver infrastructure projects Issues in rail connectivity and efficiency as well as digital connectivity have been apparent for years, and the pandemic has only shed more light on the pressing need to improve them. With many of us working from home a reliable internet connection has been crucial, and the benefits of having fewer cars on our roads and less pollution in our air was felt across many parts of Wales. We would fire up the Welsh economy after Covid by achieving nationwide Gigabit connection and expanding and modernising the rail network – we will secure reliable and high speed internet connections and make rail transport a legitimate and practical option for thousands more of us.

3. Welsh ownership of renewable sector Building up the renewable sector is another urgent move needed in tackling the climate emergency, but we want to make it work for Wales and work for our communities too. We will grow Welsh ownership of the renewable sector, ensuring more profit returns to Welsh communities. We want to become world leaders in green energy, benefitting both the environment and our economy.

4. Create jobs in public services Our public services, particularly our health service, have been at the forefront of the pandemic. Its staff have been overstretched, overworked, and have gone above and beyond to keep us safe. Even before the pandemic, health services were pushed to the limit after years of austerity, and waiting times were unacceptably long. We will create thousands of jobs in our vital public services, including for doctors and nurses to support the vital Covid recovery.

5. Use local first procurement approach We will apply a local first approach to procurement which will ensure businesses in Wales have more opportunities, and boost the foundational economy. Aside for using quality local produce, skills and services this will both secure and provide opportunities to create secure local jobs here in Wales. 

A WALES THAT WORKS

Plaid Leader unveils plan for “rapid recovery” post-Covid

 

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS has today unveiled his party’s plan for a “rapid recovery” in the wake of the Covid pandemic, outlining plans to create more than 60,000 jobs through a low-carbon infrastructure stimulus.

 

Mr Price promised an “unrelenting focus on protecting livelihoods” in a 8-point plan focused on fresh ideas and new priorities.

 

With a promise to deliver a post pandemic recovery that sees Wales “working faster and smarter than the pandemic response” – a Plaid Cymru government would guarantee employment for 16- to 24-year-olds, build thousands of green new homes and prioritise small and medium sized Welsh businesses.

 

Adam Price added that the “ambitious but deliverable” raft of measures “should have been brought in years ago had the Labour Welsh Government shown a greater urgency to build a resilient economy.”

 

Unveiling the Re-Build Wales Rapid Recovery Plan – Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS said:

 

“The Welsh economy is facing its biggest challenge for a generation. With unemployment due to reach 120,000 by the summer, we need an urgent alternative economic strategy which will not only create jobs but also support the thousands of businesses facing bankruptcy as a result of the pandemic.

 

“We will learn lessons and ensure that the post pandemic recovery sees Wales working faster and smarter than the pandemic response – with an unrelenting focus on protecting livelihoods.

 

“This is an ambitious but deliverable raft of measures which should have been brought in years ago had the Labour Welsh Government shown a greater urgency to build a resilient economy.

 

“Within its first few hours, a Plaid Cymru government would announce a £6 billion green economic stimulus, creating almost 60,000 jobs through tasking the National Infrastructure Commission with delivering shovel-ready investable projects.

 

“These could include building thousands of new social homes, retrofitting existing homes, expanding and electrifying the rail network, and delivering the fastest broadband to all parts of Wales.

 

“We would introduce a Welsh Youth Guarantee giving secure employment to every 16–24-year-olds on at least a Living Wage, zero-interest loans to get businesses back on their feet, and a reskilling programme giving those who were recently made redundant a £5,000 retraining allowance.  

 

“A Plaid government would also implement a new ‘local first’ procurement policy to give preference to small and medium-sized local businesses - setting a target of increasing Welsh firms’ share of public procurement from 52% to 75% - creating up to 46,000 jobs.”

 

ENDS

 

NEWPORT AND THE GREEN ENERGY REVOLUTION

Newport needs to directly benefit from the green energy revolution, with our deep water port and our highly skilled,  experienced and adaptable workers, we have massive advantages.  Thats why our city should be at the forefront of the development of off-shore wind, tidal lagoons, tidal turbines and a revisited Usk river barrage. 

It’s been almost 24  years ago the proposed Usk barrage was rejected by, then Welsh Secretary and later Conservative leader, William Hague, our city needs a second chance by making good use of its natural position and its skills to thrive and prosper. Since then our city has largely been neglected and ignored by government at all levels - it’s time for change. 

Newport as a port city, lies the river Usk, a river with the third highest rise and fall of tide in Wales, with its history of manufacturing and heavy industry, should be well placed to benefit for the development of tidal lagoons to the west and the east of the city and the harnessing of some of the tide energy potential of the Severn estuary - with a combination of tidal turbines, waves power, off shore wind, and an Usk river barrage to harness our rivers energy potential and to focus redevelopment on our city’s river.

The concept of Green Jobs and the economic contribution that they can make to our communities and to the Welsh economy is now well recognised by most people. Our coastline and our maritime and energy resources will remain a largely untapped resource for the foreseeable future.  The prototype tidal lagoon should have been a first step towards making Wales a world leader in a new and innovative technology with the potential to power our future. 

The ongoing failure to start work on the Swansea Tidal lagoon is a perfect demonstration of why Wales needs to gain greater control over its own future. We can no longer not afford the luxury of Westminster continuing to hold back our country’s potential for developing renewable sustainable energy sector and the related skills that could make Wales a world leader. 

Westminster has consistently denied fair funding and the tools (the powers) to reshape and reboot our economy, which would have enabled a government in Cardiff to invest to create well-paid jobs in Wales. Renewable energy development (and green collar jobs that should come with it) has the  potential to create renewable and sustainable non nuclear energy supply, which can bootstrap our economy, cut carbon emissions and also development energy supplies  that are not dependent on imported oil and gas from the unstable Middle East and the Persian gulf and Russia.

We have a double problem, firstly we have a Labour dominated national assembly that’s benefit of ambition, ideas and the tools to do the job, and secondly Westminster is just simply not interested in making Wales thrive, or allowing Wales to acquire the powers that could make Wales a world-leader in the development of renewable energy technologies and also to generate the technologies and jobs that go with it. If we can do this then we can have a New Newport and a New Wales.