Commentary on Sections Part 2 - Climate change Section 45 - Progress reports
190.This section places a duty on the advisory body to submit reports to the Welsh Ministers setting out its view on progress that has been made in relation to the interim and 2050 targets and on the carbon budgets. The advisory body must provide views on whether the targets and budgets are likely to be achieved and views on any further action considered necessary to achieve them.
191.Subsection (1) requires the advisory body to submit a report to the Welsh Ministers before the end of the first budgetary period (which covers the years 2016-20) providing its views on progress towards meeting the carbon budgets that have been set under Part 2, the interim emissions targets and the 2050 emission target.
192.Subsection (2) requires the advisory body to send a report to the Welsh Ministers no later than six months after they have laid a final statement for a budgetary period before the National Assembly for Wales under section 41. This report must provide the advisory body’s views on the way in which the carbon budget for the period has been met or not, actions taken by the Welsh Ministers to reduce the net Welsh emission account and also the matters that are set out in subsection (1) (i.e. progress towards meeting the remaining budgets and targets).
193.Subsections (3) and (4) require the advisory body to send a report to the Welsh Ministers containing its views on whether the next interim target (where relevant) and the 2050 target is the highest target that is achievable and, if not, what is the highest achievable target. The report must be sent to the Welsh Ministers no later than six months after they have laid the statements for the interim target years before the National Assembly for Wales under section 43.
194.Subsection (5) provides that a report under subsection (3) or (4) can be combined with a report under subsection (2) on a carbon budget.
195.Subsection (6) places a duty on the Welsh Ministers to lay a copy of each of the reports they receive under subsections (1) and (2) before the National Assembly for Wales.
196.Subsection (7) places a duty on the Welsh Ministers to lay a response to any report they receive under this section from the advisory body before the National Assembly for Wales no later than six months after receiving the report.